


A Magical Kingdom Mishap

by cjmoliere, GoldsJRZGirl



Series: Mishap series [4]
Category: 101 Dalmatians - All Media Types, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Drama, Family, Mystery, Other, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:52:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 91,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmoliere/pseuds/cjmoliere, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldsJRZGirl/pseuds/GoldsJRZGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hilarious family vacation to Disney World for the Golds and Archie, including Rumple, Belle, Regina, and Killian, suddenly turns into a sinister mystery the Nevengers must solve as children go missing and strange deaths occur. Sequel to A Second Little Mishap! Rumbelle and Swanfire, plus all new villains and friends! AU, Mishap verse! Rated M for some violent themes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Airport Mishaps

1

~ Airport Mishaps ~

Two days before their departure for Florida, Rumple, Belle, and Regina drove over to Bae and Emma's and changed back into their child selves. They missed all the fun they had when they were children and for Regina it would be her last adventure before she joined the ranks of the adult marrieds. Killian was excited to be with the Nevengers again. The last time he was with Rumple and Belle as children was when he was getting his preschool shots. The little toddler was terrified the first time he went to have them done, thinking the needles were part of an alien medical experiment he'd seen on the old TV show The X-Files. He wasn't supposed to be watching it but he'd hide in the closet with Jack and watch, claiming he was hunting zombies. Once Emma informed the group the shots were to prevent them from getting sick, there was no more talk of aliens.

The main topics of conversation for the group while they sat in their clubhouse were how much fun they would have in Disney World and Operation: Find Archie a Date as they called their mission to get the bachelor psychologist a girlfriend, possibly a wife before they got home. There were some unmarried women in Storybrooke but he didn't seem interested in any of them.

"Maybe we need to find him a girl with a dog like Pongo," Belle mused. "It'd be cool if the dog's name was Perdy too!"

"We gotta tell 'em he don't drink, smoke, do reefers...an he's got a job. Girls don't like deadbeats," added Killian.

"An...we gotta make sure to tell em he's got a good record...'cept that parking ticket but everybody does that," Rumple said.

"Didja put him on Match like we asked ya to, Henry?" Regina demanded.

"Ummm...yeah but I made up an email, Regina, and he got some from some pretty weird girls. I had to cover my eyes on some!"

"Why?" his mother demanded.

"Prolly cause they sent naked pictures," said Killian.

"Ewwww!" Belle and Regina screeched.

"Didja get emails from any girls who isn't nutjobs?"

"Well...there was one...and she does live near Disney...think she said she even works there part time as a tour guide."

"Well...let us see it!"

Henry opened it up. "Oh my God…Belle...she DOES have a Dalmatian named Perdy!"

"Ooooh cool!"

"Ah she could be lyin," Killian scoffed. "'Sides ya don't meet girls on the 'puter. Ya meet em goin out."

Belle scoffed. "Well I think this girl might be his true love. What's she look like?"

Henry showed them a picture of a petite woman in her early forties with short brown hair, green eyes and glasses.

Killian frowned. "She looks like a librarian!"

Belle glared at him. "An what's wrong with librarians?"

"She kinda looks like the librarian in The Mummy," Henry said.

"Yeah an she was cool an she kicked butt...so there!" Belle snapped at Killian.

He threw up his hands. "Okay! Prolly won't see her anyhow."

When they came out of the clubhouse, Sapphira was looking over the fence. "Look who's a baby again, Little Miss I-Don't-Know-How-To-Drive-A-Car-Worth-Crap!" she taunted.

"Aww blow it out your fat butt, butthole!" Killian yelled.

"That the best you can do, Hookie?"

"Bring it. We got lots more where that came from!" Regina challenged.

Sapphira threw an apple over the yard at Regina. "How ya like that apple, Queenie!"

Regina flicked her wrist and a dozen apple missiles flew over the yard at Sapphira. "How ya like THEM apples Buttmuncher!"

"You got me all dirty you little brat!"

"Neener neener neener!" Regina sang and stuck out her tongue.

"That's enough," Melanie said sharply. "Sapphira, go in the house!"

The former fairy glared at her and stormed back into the house.

The night before they left, Archie came over to the house with Pongo and Bae suggested he sleep over so that they could all go to the airport together. Snow and David were going to be pet sitting the rest of the dogs and cats while they were gone though the kids wanted to take ALL the animals with them.

"We can't, guys."

"Awwww!"

"Why not, Bae?" Rumple wanted to know.

"Because we can't fit them all in the car that's why and our room would be like a zoo!"

"Yeah but we're staying somewhere that has pets an Archie's takin Pongo!"

"I could leave him at home if there's a problem..." Archie began.

"You can't!" Belle elbowed Rumple in the ribs. "Pongo's gotta help us find that librarian so don'cha mess this up!" she hissed in his ear.

"Okay, okay, dearie, don't bite my head off!" he protested.

She pulled him aside. "We agreed we were gonna find Archie a date an I think the librarian is his true love so Pongo's goin or I'm gonna divorce ya an' take your stuff!"

"Dearie!"

She glared at him. He sighed. "Okay...I'll shut up now."

She smiled. "Ya know m'kiddin right? M'not gonna divorce ya an take your stuff but we gotta make sure Pongo goes cause you're the only one of us who can talk to him an Perdy."

"Kay...I gotta tell Pongo what's goin on so's he knows."

"What are they talking about over there?" Archie asked Emma.

"I'm afraid to ask sometimes," she answered.

The kids were so excited about leaving that getting them to go to sleep proved difficult. Emma and Bae tried everything they could to get them to go to bed early only their efforts were tiring them out instead.

They knew it was only going to get worse by the time Emma gave birth and she didn't have much longer until she did.

Thankfully Bae and Archie would help her ride herd on the four toddlers and Henry. She wasn't as worried about Henry getting into mischief as she was about the Nevengers. Trouble seemed to find them everywhere they went.

They insisted on watching The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride on the big screen TV, even though they'd seen it already last week. Regina conjured "lion" ice cream cones with Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, and Mufasa's faces on them and they sat in front of the TV eating them. Rumple conjured up chocolate covered gummy "ants" and they threw them at the screen whenever the villainess came on and screamed, "You killed his father! Prepare to die!"

Archie started laughing. "Were you watching the Princess Bride recently, Rumple?"

"Umm, yeah. I like Inigo," Rumple replied.

"An' I like Wesley," Killian put in. "Cause he's a smart pirate like Jack Sparrow."

Belle eyed the doctor curiously. "You watch Princess Bride?"

"Ummm...yes..."

"Cool!" Regina shrilled. "What part's your favorite?"

"Well...I enjoyed the scenes with Wesley and Buttercup the most...and that fight in the castle."

He would never admit to the rest of the adults but he was a closet romantic. He also enjoyed watching spy movies and thrillers but once in a while he would put a romantic movie in and reflect on how lonely he was.

Belle elbowed Rumple and whispered, "Archie looks lonely. We need to find him a girlfriend fast."

"Kay, dearie. M'workin' on it," Rumple whispered back. "Who d'ya think I am, Dr. Phil?"

"Umm...yeah...an' I still say it's that librarian Henry found on Match. We should let Archie answer her email."

"No . . .online dates don't work . . .they could be lyin'," he disagreed. "We gotta see her in person so's we can make sure she's legit."

"Kay...Pongo's gonna help us with that...right? Ya talked to him?"

"Yup. And he says he'll be able to tell if she's a good person. Dogs gotta sense about these things. Like Emma."

"Good."

"Hey Doc, ya ever see that show with the black goo aliens?" Killian quizzed.

"The X-Files? I watched it for a while but after the eighth season I started losing interest."

As if that were a signal, Emma rose from the couch. "Scuze me. My bladder's reduced to the size of a peanut." She hurried into the bathroom, thinking how the plane trip was one thing she was not looking forward to given the state of her insides.

Regina frowned. "Yuck! Ya mean ya gotta wear Depends now?" she called after the sheriff.

Henry almost spit his hot cocoa all over.

"Very funny, Queenie" Emma threw over her shoulder. "You'll be wearing them before me!"

Bae swatted him on the back. "Hey, take it easy, tiger."

"Couldn't help it," his son gasped. "OMG, Mom!"

Regina looked at him. "What? An' don't call me that when m'little. People will think you're perverted or something."

"An' some men in white coats will come an' take you away," Rumple added.

"I still say the Magic Kingdom is not going to be the same with you there," Archie joked.

"How come?" asked Belle.

"Yeah, dearie. It's not like we're gonna demolish the place," Rumple replied.

"Ummmm...with you guys I dunno," Henry laughed.

Four sets of eyes glared at him.

"Yeeoouch if looks could kill I'd be dead, guys!"

"Aww, hush up and eat your ice cream, junior!" Regina said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Belle looked over at Archie. "An you jus' worry about being nice an sweet so's you can find a girlfriend!"

"And you gotta wear some nice clothes too," the little pawnbroker said. "Like somethin' that doesn't scream "bought at the rummage sale for $2.99"."

Bae burst out laughing. "Papa, are you suggesting he get a makeover?"

"If he wants ta get a girl he's gotta look cool," Killian added.

"An it's gonna be too hot for the stuff he wears now," put in Regina.

"I did buy different clothes for the trip," Archie insisted. "And before you start Rumple, no they don't look like I got them at a rummage sale."

"You got a nice tie?" the attorney queried. "If not you can borrow this one" he held out a hand and his blue and red swirl Ferragamo appeared. "But no funny business with it . . .like tyin' girls to the bed or nothin'!"

"W...What?!" he sputtered. "What kind of man do you take me for? I'd never do that!"

"Good, cause some idiot wrote some trashy book about a girl n' guy doing that to each other an' now some girls think it's hot," Rumple informed him. He rolled his eyes. "Silly sheep! If one of 'em jumped off a cliff so would the others cause it was something new."

"Oh ya mean that Fifty Shades a Grey crap?" Regina asked. "I threw it out after reading 'bout the girl callin her conscience her inner goddess. Really? Her inner goddess was a MO-RON!"

"Ashley was readin' it down at the library and I tried readin' it to see why she was all mushy over it," Belle added. "I couldn't even get past chapter one, the writing was so bad. I told her she needed to read Sense and Sensibility."

"That would've been better, Belle, or even Pride and Prejudice," Archie suggested.

"Yup. Or Emma," added the librarian.

"Ehh...didn't need ta read...just had ta watch t'movie with Colin Firth comin' outta the lake in a wet shirt," Regina said.

"Just a suggestion...you might want to talk like children in Disney World...could raise a few eyebrows," Bae said.

"M'a kid so's I don't havta worry 'bout it!" piped up Killian.

Rumple looked at his son. "By tomorrow we'll have nearly forgotten our adult selves, Bae. This won't last. Only overnight."

"And your memories come back when?" Archie asked curiously.

"When I choose to transform us back," the sorcerer answered. "I keep this on me to remind me of who I am," he indicated his ebony and diamond star pendant.

"Are you sure you're ready for this Archie?" Emma asked from the doorway. "They can be a handful."

"I think I can handle it."

Bae smirked. "Famous last words, Hopper. They're like monkeys on crack sometimes."

"Says you who turned my hair white several times with YOUR antics, Baelfire Gold!" his father reminded him.

"Cool! What'd he do?" Henry asked eagerly.

"Never mind!" Bae said hastily.

"I think I'd like to hear this," Archie chuckled.

"Me too," Emma said,. coming over to sit back down.

Killian, Belle, and Regina all looked at Rumple, smirking, knowing this was going to be an interesting tale.

"Well . . .there was the time when you decided to help me become more productive . . .and you told all the boys in the village that I spun magical lucky thread . . and you had them buying it for 12 coppers a spool, twice what I normally sold it at."

"Dad! You were a con artist?"

"Apparently a better one than my parents," Archie said. "They made most of their money from what I lifted."

Belle smacked Bae's arm. "Bad!"

"Owwww...Mama, that hurt!"

Emma laughed. "Oh, be quiet!" her husband groused. "Umm . . .see they were always teasing me . . .and saying my papa was such a coward it was why nobody wanted to buy thread from him . . .so I decided to trick them. And it worked . . .for awhile. Till Papa found out about it."

"Then what happened?" asked Henry.

"Papa made me refund them half the money . .. told me to tell them we decided to have a sale." Bae said ruefully.

"And THEN what happened?" Henry pressed.

"Well . . . I got in trouble." Bae sighed.

"Daad!" his son groaned. "You're leaving out details."

"Hey Rumple, member when I told ya they was havin a sale so's you'd make our tummies feel better? Woke ya right up, " Killian reminded his friend

"Yes, I know. I always look for them," the sorcerer said. "And to answer your question, Henry, he ended up carding and collecting wool for me from our small herd of sheep for a week, with one of his "magic" strings tied around his finger so he wouldn't "forget" what he'd done . . . after I'd lectured his ears off and spanked him. I was so embarrassed, I never dared tell anyone what he'd done."

"But didn't people ask for more magic thread?" Regina wanted to know.

"Yes. But I told them I had no more and couldn't get any more ingredients to make more," the former spinner answered.

"You all sounded like adults just now...is that part of the spell?" Archie inquired.

"We still have our adult memories, dearie . . .until tomorrow when they fade," Rumple reminded him.

"Oh...ummm right..."

"But don't think we're gonna forget 'bout findin ya a date. It's a Nevenger priority," Belle added.

"Okay you rugrats...time for bed," Emma said.

"Aww! I'm not tired!" Regina moaned, imitating her son.

"Do we get a story?" bargained Rumple. "Let's make a deal."

"One story. Then it's bedtime."

"I'll get the new book!" Belle said, and brought back the illustrated version of Aesop's Fables. "They're so short we can have TWO stories!" she said with a sly grin.

"Uh . . .Papa's rubbing off on you!" Bae laughed.

"I'll see you all in the morning. Pongo, do you want to sleep down here?" Archie asked the Dalmatian.

The dog lay down beside the air mattress and rested its head on its paws.

"He says he'll keep watch so we don't get kidnapped," Rumple translated. He stroked the Dalmatian's ears.

"All right, good night everyone."

Emma read the children one story from Aesop's Fables and by the time she started the second one, the children were asleep.

Orlando, Florida:

"Right this way Detective Carlyle," a young woman said as she led the Orlando Police officer down the hall to offices of Disney World's head of security.

Carlyle was having a rough week and so was the department. There were at least three mysterious deaths in the city. The victims were found in different places but all of them had black, swollen tongues and had gone into convulsions before death. The coroner suspected some sort of poison was being used but they would have to wait for the toxicology report.

Now Disney World was having an issue of its own...a series of seemingly random disappearances but there was nothing random about it. All of the missing were children.

There were also more reports of people's pets going missing, but that wasn't really his department.

"Detective Carlyle, what can I do for you?" asked Kenneth Hammond, Disney's head of security.

"Mr. Hammond, I'm here to review your security procedures for the park and the hotels. In light of the recent reports of missing children and the three unexplained deaths the Orlando PD thinks it best if we work together to make sure all the guests at the park are safe."

"I'm in complete agreement." He handed the detective a copy of the procedures manual every security officer was given.

"We're doing an upgrade on the video monitoring system as well as making sure we have more than enough trained guards on duty."

Carlyle studied it. The procedures were standard with a few exceptions at night and given the volume of people entering and leaving the Magic Kingdom. "You need more stringent procedures at the entrances, I'd suggest a few of your people in plain clothes watching for any suspicious behavior. And instead of your standard metal detectors, might I suggest these full body scan portals. We've used them at several venues around the city, including the airport."

He pulled a diagram out of his pocket and showed Hammond. "They can accomadate disabled people in wheelchairs or using walkers or scooters."

"They're programmed to be non responsive to surgical implants, like metal pins, hip replacements, knee replacements, and prosthetics and robotics. They won't set the alarms off, but the scan will send you a detailed report of what the person had in them, so you know. It also takes a picture of families as they approach and leave the portals, so you can ID members in a group quickly."

The detective was a middle-aged, medium-sized man with brown hair and brown eyes and a very mobile honest face. "One of the things you learn really quickly when you work on a missing person's case, especially with children, is that the kidnappers usually ditch the kid's clothing or put on different clothing over the original ones. But they keep the shoes the same, since it's hard to buy generic footwear that fits every kid."

"So the photo will zero in on people's shoes, especially the children's." he explained. "As well as anything they happen to be carrying with them. You should use the wands to scan all the purses and bags anyone brings with them, because the belt scanners sometimes miss things."

He detailed a few other things they needed to watch for and said that such thorough procedures might dismay some guests because it would make for longer lines and wait times to get into the attraction but that safety factor was what was important. "Make them understand that, but don't mention anything about the missing kids, don't want to start a panic."

He and other members of the police force were working double time to try and solve the cases, though so far they had no luck at all. It was very frustrating because Carlyle wanted to nail whoever was behind this very badly. Those who harmed children were on his list of people who ought to be shot into outer space on a rocket.

Storybrooke, Maine:

The Golds were blissfully unaware of these issues when they woke the following morning to go to the airport. Archie and Bae packed the suitcases in the car while Emma and Snow made the kids their breakfast.

They were all excited to see all the characters from their favorite movies, go on the rides, play on a beach, swim in the ocean and find a certain librarian. Henry reminded Belle the woman, whose name was Selene Paddington, was not a librarian but a tour guide at Disney who volunteered at a pet shelter according to her profile and emails.

"Hopefully this will just be a normal vacation," Emma said to her mother.

"Or as normal as you can get with those four imps," Snow laughed. "Have fun, Emma. Because soon enough you'll wish you were back there when you're getting up at 3AM for feedings and stuff."

"I missed all of it with Henry. I don't want to with this one."

"I know how you feel," Snow said feelingly. "Sometimes . . .I wish I could have a do-over with you. But . . . que sera, right?" she smiled wistfully. "And I can help you with my new grandchild."

Once they had bid farewell to their family and friends, they all piled into the car to go to the airport. On the way there the kids looked out the window and sang Disney songs.

"Ya think Belle will sing as good as she does in the movie?" Belle asked Rumple.

"I hope so." Rumple said. "I like how she sings. And you too, dearie."

"Wonder if Selene sings?"

"Maybe. We'll have to see," the small sorcerer said.

"What if Pan's there too?" Killian asked.

"He won't be mean like Rumple's papa," Regina said. "He'll be like Gabriel."

"Hope so or we should make Jack eat 'im!"

"Tick tock, dearie! Tick tock!"

Killian laughed. "Ya think Jack Sparrow will be there?"

"He's a Disney character too, so yeah why not?" Rumple agreed.

"I dunno...maybe they don't have 'em all come out an' see kids."

"Well, maybe he will this time," said Rumple.

"I want to go on all the rides," said Henry.

"You gonna go on Space Mountain, Henry?" his grandpa asked.

"Heck yeah and the tallest rollercoaster!"

"I wish I could go on a rollercoaster," Regina said. "But I'm too little."

"Yeah, you'd fall out," Rumple agreed.

"An I'd puke!" said Belle.

"When I get bigger again I'm gonna go on 'em all!" Killian declared.

"Me too, dearie!" Rumple bounced up and down in his seat.

In the front seat Emma and Bae were smiling. "We're here! Everybody out!"

The kids cheered and practically jumped out of the car windows.

"Whoa pipe down and were gonna use the buddy system, okay?"

"We all hold a grown up's hand, right?" Rumple clarified, and took Bae's hand.

"That's right."

Regina took Henry's hand and Killian took Emma's.

Belle winked at Rumple and took Archie's hand.

A skycap came and took their suitcases from them.

"Hey where they goin' with our stuff?" demanded Killian.

"They're bringing it to the plane so they can load it," Emma explained.

"Kay they better not lose Jack!"

"You look really nice, Archie...where ya get that blue shirt?" Belle asked him. He was wearing a blue dress shirt and black pants.

"Geppetto picked it out."

He didn't dare tell the toddler his best friend supported the whole idea of getting him a girlfriend.

"You look sharp." Rumple agreed.

"Every gal crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man!" Killian sang.

Rumple joined him on the chorus, twirling his little cane.

Belle grinned. "Wait'll Selene sees him!" she whispered.

"Yeah, she's gonna have a hot flash!" giggled Rumple.

"What's a hot flash?" Killian asked.

"Do I want to know what's going on here?" Archie asked.

"It's a thing girls get when they see a hot guy," Rumple told him. "Then they fan themselves."

"That's not me," Archie muttered.

'You never know," Regina said. "You just gotta believe."

That was odd coming from her when he thought back to all the times she knocked him down verbally. Then again, that was before she had become a child again and gone through all the adventures she had with the Nevengers. They'd all changed in wonderful ways.

"Some girl's gonna really like you an' well say we tole ya so!" Regina boasted.

"It could happen," Rumple said sagely.

"Okay guys we gotta go through security now." Bae said.

They were approaching a gate with uniformed guards and x-ray machines on conveyor belts.

"Whoa!" Killian exclaimed.

"Ummm...what're they gonna do, Bae?" Rumple asked nervously.

"Don't be scared, buddy," his son reassured him. "They're gonna have us take off our shoes and jackets and put them in the basket there and send them through a machine. Then we have to walk through that little doorway there. They just want to make sure we don't have anything dangerous on us."

"Huh? M'not takin' my shoes off! I'll get germs in my feet!"

"Rumple, you've got your socks on!" Bae chuckled.

Belle wrinkled her nose. "Ewww...if ya don't have socks on your feet'll stink!"

"Yeah but goin' round in public in your socks is...uncivilized!" said the little sorcerer.

A man behind them on line began to laugh. "What's wrong with that kid? He acts like he's afraid to get dirt on him."

Three adults turned around and glared at him.

"I don't like gettin' dirt on me...do you?" Rumple asked angrily.

"Prolly lives in a barn," Killian added.

"Yeah, you gotta problem with that?" demanded Regina, giving him one of her Evil Queen glares.

"Meanie!" Belle snapped.

The man flushed. "Kids these days! They're either sissies or smartasses!"

"Yeah well we ain't sissies, we's the Nevengers an' don't ya forget it!" Killian retorted.

The man snorted. "Whaddya think you are, some kinda superheroes?"

He made a twirling circled at his temple.

"We kick butts an take names but yous the crazy one!" yelled Regina.

"Oh right! A cripple, two girls, and a little tadpole," the man sneered. "You've got a big imagination."

"And you it seems need a lesson on not bullying children!" Archie said angrily.

"Yeah, watch your mouth, buddy!" Bae said, scowling.

"Unless you want to have a few teeth knocked out," snarled Emma.

"And get sued for discrimination against disabled people!" Rumple added.

"An I'm not a tadpole...I'll kick ya in the nuts!" yelled Killian.

The man backed away, muttering about crazy children who talked like encyclopedias.

The children removed their shoes, still worried Rumple was right and they would pick up germs off the floor that may have looked clean. They still couldn't forget him telling them about a TV show where they took a special light to a darkened hotel room and showed all the dirt and grime where it was supposed to be clean.

Rumple made a face. "This is so unsanitary."

The woman who ran the X-ray machine looked over at him and said, "Aww! That's really adorable!" Then she said, "Umm . . . I'm afraid you have to put your cane in the basket, sweetie."

"Huh! I can't...I need it to walk!"

"But . . . those are the rules," she sighed. "Can't your daddy carry you?"

He looked up at Bae.

"I can, if that's permitted," Bae said.

"It is," she answered.

"Okay, Rumple, put it in," Bae said softly.

"Better not get Athlete's foot or m'gonna sue somebody!" Regina huffed.

Rumple put his cane in the basket and then Bae picked him up to walk through the scanner.

"Sir, you'll have to put your umbrella in there too," the attendant said to Archie.

"What? Oh...I'm sorry about that," Archie stammered.

"Better hope they don't want your glasses too," Belle mumbled thinking all of this was silly.

Emma put her purse through the conveyor belt and walked through the scanner.

"What's that thing do?" Belle asked, pointing at the scanner.

"It X-rays you and makes sure you don't have anything dangerous on you, like a knife or something," answered the attendant.

"You can see my bones?" She was horrified.

"I'm sure it's all right, Belle," Archie soothed.

"Gross!" Killian made a face.

"Eww!" Regina yelped. "That's a 'vasion of privacy!"

"Only a doctor's sposta see my bones!" Belle cried.

"Err . . .it's only for a minute and we really don't see your bones, just an . .umm . . outline," the woman explained.

"There. That's not so bad is it, Belle?" Archie was grateful to the attendant for being so patient with the kids.

"You ever worried you're gonna get radiation sickness and die?" Rumple queried artlessly. "It could happen."

"Umm . . .umm . . ." the attendant was struggling not to laugh.

"N-no because . . .it's not a high dose at all. So no worries, little guy." She looked at Bae. "Your son is adorable! I love his hair. And he's very smart!"

"Thanks an' ummm...yeah he is."

Belle held her arms out to Archie to be picked up.

He chuckled. "Okay...come on."

"She's a sweet little girl. Yours?"

"Ummm...no...no I'm not married."

The Nevengers winked at each other.

Belle however, wanted to make sure he saw Selene first before they started thinking about setting him up with another girl. She shook her head at the others. They nodded and continued through the line.

While they were walking Regina screeched and ducked behind Henry. "Ewwwww...Ewwwww!"

"What is it, Regina?"

"Lookit...it's a ROACH!"

"Ahhh!" screamed a woman behind them.

"Get the Raid!"

"Kill it, Henry!" Regina pleaded. "Stomp it good!"

"Don't wanna do that, little lady…could leave eggs behind," a man said as he passed them.

Belle clung to Archie. "Ewww...bugs...an' we put our feet on the floor!"

"Bae, we need an exterminator!" Rumple whimpered.

"Yeah where's the Bug Terminator?" Killian asked.

"I'm going to speak to customer service!" muttered an elderly lady. "It's disgraceful!"

"An' unsanitary!" Rumple added.

"Sgusting!" Regina said

"Look guys...there's our plane." Emma pointed out the window at the aircraft, hoping to calm them a bit.

"Whoa! It's so big!" exclaimed Rumple in awe.

"Kinda does look like a big bird," Killian said.

"With metal wings," Regina said.

"How long we gonna be in it?" Belle asked.

"Uh two and a half hours," Bae replied.

"That's not very long," Archie spoke up. "Some flights are longer, Belle."

"They are?"

"Yes...the farther you travel."

Emma wondered how comfortable she would be in her seat. She was barely comfortable at home anymore. She hoped they would at least have a pillow or two for her neck and back.

When they boarded the plane and took their seats, one of the men in front of them glanced back and scowled.

"Great...Kids!"

Killian smirked, wanting to teach him a lesson. He remembered seeing an episode of Family Guy where Stewie got revenge on a rude passenger.

"Awww ya don't wanna sit 'front of a kid eh...? For the next two hours you're gonna be my bitch!"

"Killian!" Emma cried.

"What? He's bein rude!"

"And we've spoken to you about your language. You want to taste Ivory?"

"Ummm...nooo but..."

"No buts. Language, mister."

"Damn kids," the passenger mumbled.

"WAAAAAA Mommy, he's makin' fun of meeeee!" Killian mock wailed.

The other Nevengers giggled in their seats.

"Killian...enough, please." Emma pleaded.

"Shoulda left em at home, lady!"

Regina glared over at him. "Ya don't leave kids at home alone ya MO-RON!"

"Yeah, that's child abuse an' you could go to jail!" piped up the tiny attorney.

"Hope you don't have kids 'cause then ya'd be a deadbeat dad!" added Belle.

Henry almost fell out of his seat laughing while he recorded the event for posterity.

"Okay guys, calm down." Bae scolded gently.

"If this guy learns how ta be nice," Killian said.

Archie almost pitied the man...almost.

"Kids...shouldn't be seen nor heard...pains in the ass...owwww!"

Killian lifted his feet and kicked the seat hard.

Emma and Bae groaned. This was going to be a LONG flight. "Killian...settle down and ignore him."

A woman sitting in front of Regina, Henry and Rumple looked back and snorted. "This is why children should not be allowed on planes. They don't know how to behave themselves."

"Hey dearie, he started it!" Rumple said angrily.

"Rumple, ignore it," Bae reminded him.

"Young man, you should discipline your children better and they would behave better!"

"Lady, are ya deaf? HE started it!" Belle stood up in her seat and turned around, glaring at the woman.

"Belle, sit down," Archie commanded firmly.

"Uh-uh. She has no right to tell Bae he don't know how to discipline us cause we didn't start this, that mean ol guy 'front a Killian did!"

Regina and Rumple kicked the back of his seat where the woman was sitting.

"Stop it! You want to get us thrown off the plane?" Bae demanded of the kids.

"Ummm...no," they chorused.

"Rumple, Killian, and Regina, stop kicking the seats!"

"Belle, sit down." Archie said again.

The four children sulked in their seats.

Henry took turns letting Rumple and Regina play a game with him on his tablet while Bae distracted Killian by playing a movie on his tablet. Emma was watching an episode of Law and Order SVU on hers. Archie and Belle were reading books.

"Welcome to Orlando!" came the announcement over the intercom. They were ready for Disney World, but it was debatable whether Disney World was ready for them!


	2. A Birthday To Remember, Hijinks On Arrival and First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian;s birthday, more hijinks, the mystery in the Magic Kingdom deepens and Archie meets a certain pretty lady thanks to the Nevengers!

~ A Birthday To Remember, Hijinks On Arrival and First Impressions ~

Storybrooke, Maine

Months earlier….

Killian was excited. It was his birthday and he would get to see his friends as children again and he couldn't wait to see what everyone bought him. He jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to his parents room, pounding on the door. "Moooommm, Daaaaad wake up!"

Bae opened one eye and looked at the clock on his nightstand. "He has GOT to be kidding me! It's five o'clock in the morning!"

Emma threw her pillow over her head.

"MOM...DAD...WAKEY WAAAAAKEYYYY!"

"He's loud enough to wake the dead," muttered Emma.

"And he's not gonna quit till we get up either!"

The exhausted parents crawled out of bed knowing they would need at least three cups of coffee before they would be able to keep up with their hyperactive little pirate.

Killian then ran to Henry's room and started pounding on his door. "Henry, wake UUUUUPPPPPP!"

"Holy crap Killian, s'not Christmas!" Henry grouched. Killian opened the door and ran into the room. He crawled up onto Henry's bed and started jumping up and down on the mattress. "Wake up you sleepy head, wake up, get outta bed!" he chanted.

"You get into some sugar or something this morning?"

"It's my birthday! C'mon Henry, get up!" The little pirate smirked. "Or do ya want me to call your grandpa an have him come over here with the ice water?"

"You wouldn't...!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Okay, okay I'm getting up but you wait Killian Gold. When it's MY birthday I'm gonna wake YOU up really early and if you don't get up I'll make Grandpa get you with the ice water!"

Emma shuffled down the hall to the bathroom feeling like she'd swallowed a beach ball. She wasn't nauseated in the mornings as often now as she was in previous months but she still had to use the bathroom often and her back ached constantly.

At least I won't be having this kid in jail and I'm keeping it! she thought. Nor would she be raising it alone. It was going to be hectic with a teenager, an age regressed former pirate and a baby in the house but taking care of him, her in-laws and Regina for a while taught her some of the things to expect from young children...and it was going to be interesting to say the least.

Killian was already downstairs. He grabbed the cordless phone off the charger and dialed Rumple's number, having been taught to do so by Bae and Emma in case he ever needed him if they were sick or hurt.

Gold's Victorian:

Rumple never liked hearing the phone ring early in the morning. It promised nothing but bad news. He reached across the bed and picked up his cellphone.

"HEYYYY RUMPLE. WAKE UPPPPPP!" Killian screamed into the phone and laughed, nearly deafening the sorcerer.

"Killian Gold, have ye lost your wits, dearie? What's the idea of prankin' me in t'wee hours of the mornin' and where's your mum and Bae?"

"Rumple, who is it?" Belle demanded sleepily.

"Our little pirate friend thinking he's being funny!"

"Rumple, it's my birthday! You, Belle n' Regina are comin' over, right?"

"Not right now! I'm not little yet so I need my sleep!"

"Kay, but don't sleep all day or I'm callin ya again!" He hung up.

Rumple sighed. "Well...since I'm up...I may as well stay up!"

Belle fell back to sleep. Rumple scowled. "Oh, thanks a lot sweetheart!"

Mills Mansion:

Like Rumple, Regina never enjoyed hearing the phone ring early in the morning either. It meant the town was having some sort of crisis or something was wrong with Henry. She sat up in bed, waking Robin when she did so and picked up her phone.

"Hello?"

"HEEYYYY GINA! WAKEY WAKEY!" Killian shouted and giggled.

"Killian Gold! Are you out of your mind? Do you know what time it is? Where are Emma and Bae and why are they letting you disturb my sleep!"

"You're still comin to my birthday party, right?"

"I'm gonna be there and when I get small again I'm going to kick your butt!"

"See ya later alligator!" Killian giggled and hung up.

"That kid is crazy," Robin mumbled sleepily.

Regina sighed. "You have no idea."

Archie's Apartment:

It was a rare occasion that the therapist's phone rang early in the morning and it was only a patient or the hospital calling him in an emergency. He grabbed his cellphone off the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"ARCHIE...WAKE UPPPPPP!" Killian Gold sang into the receiver, laughing.

"Killian...it's five in the morning..." he groaned.

"Uh-huh! An you know today's my birthday. You're comin' to my party, right?"

"Yes..."

"Kay. See ya later!" He hung up.

Archie sat up and shook his head. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Emma and Bae made a mad dash for the coffee pot as soon as they got downstairs while their son sat at the table acting completely innocent.

"I cannot believe you did that, Killian! I know you're excited for your birthday party but next time we're sleeping in!" Bae grouched.

"Okay," he sighed, wondering why everyone was so grouchy. They had to get up early to go to work anyway.

He knew he was going to be in some trouble when the others told his parents he'd called and woken them up too.

Snow and David arrived at the house first, spared Killian's early wake-up call because the toddler knew his grandmother was always awake before five anyway.

"Someone's excited for his party," Snow laughed.

"Uh-huh. M'gonna get to see all the Nevengers again!"

"And they'll probably want to kick your butt for waking them up early." Emma said.

"Ah, they'll get over it."

Rumple and Belle got into her Mini to drive over to Bae's house. Belle had gotten her license some weeks before and she wanted to drive this time. Rumple was a little uneasy, but willing to let her do so. After all, practice made perfect.

Her first driving attempt was a bit difficult. She backed into the mailbox and plowed into her roses and a lawn gnome driving too fast and not hitting the brakes soon enough and the brat next door hadn't helped maters by poking fun at her.

But Rumple had fixed her good when she had thrown apples at her and his car. He'd taken her over his knee and paddled her good, though he doubted it had a real effect on her behavior or attitude.

She would surrender both her humanity and her soul to the darkness on her eighteenth birthday and the dagger that represented it if she didn't start learning her lessons.

"Are they here yet?" Killian demanded impatiently. Once in a while he'd run to the window to peek out, disappointed when he didn't see the 'Mafia Car' as he called Rumple's Caddy.

"I'm sure they're coming soon, buddy," Bae told him. He made sure the Happy Birthday Killian sign was taped securely to the drapes.

The first car to pull in was Regina's Mercedes. She got out of the car with her present in her hands and waited outside for Rumple to arrive to transform them and the three of them would go in the house together.

Belle pulled in soon after her, parking the car carefully behind Emma's Bug. "We made it!" she said to Rumple proudly.

"I told you, you could do it, dearie." He reached for his cane and started to get out of the car.

Robin gave Regina a quick kiss. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Only a few more times Robin...then I'm all yours."

"I can still play with you, right?"

"Of course, Roland. You are an honorary Nevenger."

He grinned.

"All right, Rumple. Let's get to it. Killian's waiting."

"Belle, you have the present?"

"Yes."

"Okay, dearies. Time to get small," and he gestured and turned them back into toddlers again.

Archie pulled up just as the adults turned back into their child selves and walked over to the passenger door to let Pongo out.

He had Killian's gift tucked under his arm.

Little Rumple turned around to see the former cricket's green Chevy parked near a fire hydrant. "Hey, Archie. Better move your car, else you're gonna get a ticket for bein' in violation of no parking near a fire hydrant."

"What? Oh damn! Not again!" he groaned.

"Again? Ya mean you've did it before?" the little attorney put his hands on his hips disapprovingly.

"That's what I got the other parking ticket you like to remind me about for."

Rumple sighed. "Better move it for Emma sees. I'll hold Pongo. Here, boy!" he whistled and the Dalmatian trotted over to him, his leash trailing.

Rumple picked it up and petted the dog. "How ya doin?"

I'm good. How about you? the Dalmatian woofed, and licked Rumple's hand.

Archie parked the car behind Regina's Mercedes, making sure he left enough room for Robin to back out. The former outlaw was learning to drive himself and doing worse at it than Belle.

"Doin' okay," Rumple told him. "Gwen says hi."

"HEY GUYS! C'MERE!" Killian shouted.

Rumple giggled. "The Boy Who Lived Twice has spoken." Then he started to limp into the house, with Pongo walking carefully beside him.

Killian jumped off the sofa and ran to the door to let his friends in.

"YAY You're here!" the little pirate exclaimed, hugging Rumple tightly.

"Hey, dearie! You act like you ain't seen me in a month of Sundays." Rumple laughed, and hugged him back.

"Not as the Nevengers!

"Well, I promised we'd be here for your birthday, an' here we are."

"Yep...you're not mad at me for wakin ya up early, are ya?"

"Umm . . .not really. I woke you up plenty of times when we all lived with Bae n' Emma," his friend admitted. "Sides you know I'm usually up early."

"Well I wanna kick your butt!" Regina declared when she walked in with Robin and Roland. "I was tryin to get my beauty sleep!"

Belle giggled. "Happy birthday, Killian! Where shall we put your present?"

"Ummm...gotta ask Mom."

Henry came in to say hello along with Scout, his dog, one of Gwen's pups. "Hi guys! What's up?"

'Hey, Henry!" Rumple high fived him. "Hello, Scout!"

The puppy frisked up to the little boy and almost knocked him down with his enthusiastic greeting.

"Easy, dearie!" Rumple ordered. "Ya almost made me fall. Sit!"

Scout yipped and wagged his tail, then sat, recognizing Rumple's Alpha tone and the fact that the pawnbroker had somewhat trained him before coming to be Henry's pet.

Pongo ran to the door to wait for his master.

Archie came in a short time later and set his gift on the table with the others. "There's our little bundle of energy!" he joked. "Were you up at the crack of dawn?"

"Uh-huh! This is gonna be the best birthday ever!"

He had so few memories of his former life left now that he had a new family. The only ones he kept were of his brother Liam. He still missed him but he had Henry now and the sibling his mother would give him soon.

"It sure is, dearie!" Rumple agreed. He sniffed the air. "What smells so good?"

"Sketti! Mom made it for my birthday dinner!" The little pirate grinned. "An big meatballs cause ya know I like big meatballs 'case zombies come around."

Rumple bared his teeth. "Rrrawwrr! I've come to eat you brains!"

"Noooo...Henry...go get t' meatball! he's gonna get me-eeee!"

Rumple grinned and went to tickle Killian. "Tickle tickle!"

"You're gonna make me pee!" he laughed.

Rumple smirked wickedly. "Ya need a Pull-up?"

"No m'a big kid now!"

"Me too!" Rumple agreed, then he said, "Got any cookies?"

"Ummm, think Mom made some but don't eat Dad's...they suck...he burned em..."

Rumple huffed. "Did he get 'stracted again by kissin' Emma?"

"Nah...he was watchin' Walkin Dead on his tablet thingie in the kitchen. Mom was real mad an yelled at him for almost burnin' the house down."

"An' she should've!" Rumple clucked in disapproval, then ran into the kitchen to get some chocolate chips from a plate there.

Belle sat down on the sofa beside Archie. "Jus' think...in a coupla years you'll be havin' a party for your kid an' we can come too."

"I don't know...maybe..."

"Hey Rumple, don'cha eat all those cookies or I'm telling!" shrilled Regina.

Robin could barely contain his laughter watching his fiancee's child self's antics. It was undoubtedly a preview of what a daughter of theirs would be like.

"Aww, pipe down, dearie!" Rumple yelled back, chocolate all over his face. "I'm not gonna eat 'em all. Not like YOU did the first night we all stayed at Bae's apartment."

"Did not!"

"Uh-huh...'member. I got sick an' puked on ya." Killian reminded her, smirking.

"Yeah AND ya PEED on the FLOOR and I walked in it!" Rumple scowled.

"Ah ya got over it," Killian scoffed.

"It was 'sgusting!" the small sorcerer growled, eating another cookie. "Next time watch where ya aim!"

Henry was laughing so hard he spit out his Mountain Dew...all over Regina!

"Ooops! Soory Mom!"

Regina wiped her face. "Henry! Do ya got a PROBLEM?"

"Ummm...need to learn not to drink or eat anything when you guys are around!" he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" asked Bae, coming into the kitchen.

"Henry spit his Dew out on Gina!" Killian giggled.

"Oh God!" Bae groaned. "Why?"

"Cause they said something funny."

"Do I wanna know?" Bae asked, rolling his eyes.

"Talkin bout how I peed on the floor an how Rumple walked in it."

Bae snickered. "Yeah, I remember that night. Thought I was never gonna get any sleep."

"Oh yeah...well how many times you keep your papa up? Huh?" demanded Regina.

"I never-" Bae began.

"You did so, Baelfire Gold!" Rumple put in. "Once FIVE times in one hour one night 'cause you were afraid of thunder, the dark, the lightning, an' you snuck too many cookies outta the cookie jar and threw up in my bed!"

Bae covered his face with a hand. "How the hell do you remember this stuff?"

"Gross!" Killian exclaimed.

"If YOU hadta clean up puke in the middle o' the night and it took ya almost an hour, you'd never forget it either," Rumple snorted.

Henry almost snorted Mountain Dew out of his nose. "Oh my God! I need to record this on my phone!"

"Quit it ya ain't in a zoo!"

Regina smacked him.

"Oww! Jeez, Mom, chill out!"

Rumple shook his finger at his grandson. "Hey, don't sass your mama, dearie!"

"Okay everybody, time for dinner!" Emma called out.

Killian was having so much fun eating his favorite dish that he ended up spilling some of it all over his clothes. Henry snapped a picture with his phone.

Rumple decided to be a bit of a scamp. "Killian...m'gonna eat your brains...muhahahahaha!"

"Zombie!" The toddler picked up his large meatball and mashed it in the sorcerer's face. "Ha ha! Now you're DEAD MEAT zombie!"

Rumple wiped his face with his hand and licked his fingers. "Mmm! Tasty!" Then he picked up a meatball and chucked it at Killian. "In your FACE, zombie hunter!"

"Boys!"

Regina grabbed a meatball off her plate and threw it at Emma.

"Sneak attack!" she shrilled.

"Oh really, Queenie? Take this!" she catapulted a meatball back at Regina.

Archie started laughing then a meatball came flying at him and splattered sauce all over his glasses.

"Who...? Belle!"

The little beauty was giggling in the chair across from him.

Henry decided to get in on the fun and catapulted a spaghetti and meatball bomb at his dad. "Think fast, Dad! Oh-too slow!" he cheered as the food splattered all over his father's face and dripped down his neck.

"Food fight!" cheered Killian as he threw spaghetti at David and Snow.

Archie wiped of his glasses. "You do this a lot, Belle?" he chuckled.

"Uh-huh…an just think when you gets a girlfriend you can throw pies in her face...then kiss her."

His face was almost the color of the sauce.

David was giggling and threw a piece of bread with butter at his grandson. "Hey, Henry! I eat my bread with the butter side up-or in your face!" he laughed, quoting a famous Dr. Seuss book.

Snow launched another spaghetti bomb at her daughter.

"This reminds me of the time Grumpy started a food fight using my biscuits."

"Because they were like hockey pucks!" David chortled gleefully.

"And tasted like dust," teased Archie.

Snow pretended to glare at them. "Them's fighting words!" she declared, then dumped her plate of spaghetti on David's head. "Nice hair, Nolan!"

Belle stood up on her chair and dumped hers on Archie's head. "Now you gots rasta hair."

Rumple got Killian in a headlock and mashed a meatball in his hair. "Now you're dead meat!" he giggled.

"We're making this a tradition now...birthday and Christmas food fights," Bae laughed.

His sons and father all wore smirks of satisfaction.

Killian seized a ladle and dumped sauce all over Rumple's hair and yelled "Take that, ya saucy brat!"

Then he threw Parmesan cheese on top for some extra fun, warbling, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Snow laughed so hard she nearly choked.

Until her loving husband shoved a meatball down her dress.

"David! You wretch!" she yelped.

"Bet THAT woke you up, hon!" he husband smirked.

"You're all crazy but I like it," Archie exclaimed.

Belle picked up her last meatball and jumped off the chair. She was whistling Beauty and the Beast as she walked around the table to where Rumple was sitting.

"Gots a present for ya..."

"Really, dearie?" He was trying to wipe sauce off his face.

"Yep..."

She shoved the meatball down the back of his pants.

"Try an sit on THAT...dearie!" she giggled.

"BELLE!" he yelped, his eyes wide.

Killian laughed. "Ha, ha now you gots meatball skiddies!"

"Oh...my ...god...that was AWESOME!" Henry exclaimed.

Rumple stood up and banished the meatball, saying, "That was really wicked, dearie! But in a funny way."

"Well, she IS the imp's wife," Bae giggled.

Even though he was no longer the Dark One, his family still called him "the imp" in a teasing sort of way.

Robin and Roland snuck up behind Regina to perform the coup de gras, dumping both of their plates on her.

"Oooh are you gonna get it good..." Regina promised, performing a coup de gras of her own by picking up the pitcher of iced tea sitting in the middle of the table and throwing it on her fiancé and stepson. "Had myself a little TEA PARTY!"

"Hey! I was gonna drink that!" Belle objected.

Bae got the other pitcher out of the fridge.

"Always have to make two because you and Papa drink one all on your own."

"We love our tea," Rumple snickered. Then he looked at the mess and said, cracking his knuckles, "Look at this wreck! Time to clean it up!"

Killian rolled his eyes. "Oooh boy-now he's in Mr. Clean mode. Everybody be prepared-to get disinfected!"

Rumple clapped his hands, and several mops appeared with hands filled with buckets of water and began mopping the floor. Bunches of antibacterial wipes appeared and began washing the table . . .and anyone else that was sporting food and was dirty.

Rumple snapped his fingers twice and the plates and cups floated into the kitchen and the sink began running water and dish detergent and started washing them.

"Can we open my presents now?"

Then he ducked as a wipe zoomed in and tried to scrub his face. "Ahh! Rumple, stop!" he yelped, running away from it. "I don't wanna get disinfected!"

"Oh, stand still, dearie!" the little magician ordered. "It won't kill ya to be clean!" The wipe followed like a heat seeking missile.

"Noo!" Killian wailed and went to hide behind Bae.

"Papa, calm down!" Bae sighed, then muttered, "Damned OCD!" He sputtered as the wipe went and washed his face, which had some sauce on it.

Regina almost fell off her chair giggling.

The wipe dive bombed Killian and began washing him despite his protests.

"If you don't get clean, you're gonna have germs!" Rumple declared.

"And germs are a worse enemy than the Blue Buttcrack!" Henry hooted. He thought it was hilarious. Unless he was on the recieving end of one of his grandpa's white glove cleaning sprees.

Germs were on Rumple's mind as they stepped off the plane in Orlando weeks later.

Killian was remembering how his birthday had been the best ever with his new family and friends. He had one of their gifts, a new crocodile named Tick tucked under his arm while he held his father's hand.

Rumple held Bae's other hand while Regina held Emma's and Belle stayed close to Archie to make certain he didn't look at other girls until they found Selene.

Emma noticed some kind of line forming as they walked down the ramp and into the airport. "What the heck? What are they doing now? Some new security procedure?"

"Looks like it hon," Bae grimaced.

"Aww man!" groaned a little kid ahead of them. "Not more dumb lines! I wanna see Goofy!"

The line moved slowly and all the children were getting impatient.

Rumple shifted from foot to foot and tapped his cane on the floor. "Bae, why's everybody takin' off their shoes AND socks! That's unsanitary!"

Up ahead they could see that before each passenger was allowed to enter the airport, they were being made to remove their jackets, hats, shoes and socks and walk through these funny metal box like things.

"Not putting my bare feet on a dirty floor!" Regina grumbled.

Rumple started getting anxious. "What if we get some kinds disease from walkin' on it?" he fretted.

"A disease?" Now Belle was alarmed.

"An the alien black goo can get ya in your feet too!" Killian cringed.

"Yeah. Like Athlete's foot! Or psoriasis!" Rumple told her.

"Eeww! I'm not havin' no alien babies!" Belle squealed.

"Ma, what if that box is like the transporter on Star Trek and it beams me away?" cried the other boy.

"Where's the aliens Killian?" demanded Regina.

"Oh Danny, I'm sure there's nothing like that going on," his mother sighed. "Look people are coming right out the other side."

"Only looks like it...prolly got the goo in em now!" Killian muttered.

Rumple was still going off about germs. "You could get eczema and what if somebody's sweat touches you an' THEY have a disease?"

"Nasty?" Regina held her nose.

"Ewww an what if they can really see your bones now?" cried Belle.

"Hey, guys, relax!" Henry tried to calm them down. "Look at it this way, it's like an adventure!"

"Some adventure!" Rumple snorted. "Steppin' on some gerny floor where people have walked in their stinking feet!"

"Yeah venture in having alien babies!" Killian added.

"Oh, Lord!" Emma groaned, foreseeing trouble when it was their turn. She wondered about the extra security measures and asked the uniformed policeman she passed about it.

"Nothing to be alarmed about ma'am we just want to ensure the safety of our guests."

"Okay," Emma said, though her gut feeling was that something had happened recently which had caused security to be stepped up, and she wanted to find out what it was. Her trouble radar was tingling like mad.

Detective Carlyle stood off to the side in his regular clothes, a white shirt and jeans. Two more corpses had been discovered that morning and another child vanished from the family's hotel room the night before.

Both corpses bore odd signs of the victims having turned blue and strangled by some means, but nothing could be found that would have obstructed their airway. Toxicology was trying to rule out allergic reactions from anaphylactic shock, but the detective had an eerie feeling these deaths had not been caused by a mere food allergy or bee sting.

The commissioner was getting pressure from the mayor to call in the FBI but Carlyle didn't want the FEDS in here without it being absolutely necessary . . .because they tended to be like bulls in china shops and cause the suspects to go to ground only to resurface weeks or months later and commit the same crimes all over again.

They would waste more time trying to profile the killer than finding it.

And he had a feeling this killer was not your ordinary one . . .this one was smart and canny to have been getting away with his MO for so long.

He was starting to suspect ALL the strange occurrences were linked; the missing children, the murders and now animals were being found dead, their pelts taken.

This almost felt like one of those bad B horror movies with voodoo queens and sacrifices at midnight.

And now another group of potential targets had arrived...

Rumple hung back as they approached the big metal boxes. He didn't like this at all.

"Go on in honey...it won't bite," the attendant said softly.

"Is that floor sanitary?" queried the little pawnbroker. "Do I hafta take my socks off?"

"Yes honey, you do...just for a bit..."

Rumple made a face. "But . . .you could get germs!" he pointed out. "Gross!"

"You have to go in if you want to see Mickey."

"Rum, please don't give them a hard time," Bae pleaded.

His papa was wearing his Stubborner Than Hell face.

"I ain't walkin' on no germy floor an' gettin' Athlete's foot!" he snapped.

"Umm . . .what if they cleaned the floor?" Bae suggested.

Rumple considered. "With this!" and he pulled out a travel packet of antibacterial wipes. "You clean the floor an' I'll go through this machine."

The attendant rolled her eyes. An OCD kid...that was just what she needed!

"Is this kid for real?" grunted her partner. "Maybe you need to get him some therapy!" he guffawed.

"Maybe you need to work on your people skills!" snapped Archie

"Shuddup, Brent!" hissed the woman. "You wanna have that detective on your ass and get fired?"

"There a problem over here?" demanded Carlyle.

"Uh, no, sir. Not really," stammered the attendant.

"Really? Then why does the boy look upset?"

"Uh huh!" Rumple defended. "I want him to wipe the floor so's I don't get some kinda fungus when I walk on it."

"Cause germs are nasty!" Belle spoke up.

"And we don't wanna be possessed by aliens!" Killian added.

"Crazy kids!" grumbled the woman.

"Umm . . .my kids are a little OCD, and my youngest son watches too much sci-fi stuff," Emma apologized.

"Oh it's all right. Now wipe the damned terminal down and get them moving but if I find out you're not checking them carefully you can both look for new jobs...understood?" Carlyle asked sharply.

"Yes, sir," muttered the attendant. "Freaking germophobe kids!"

Carlyle glared at her.

"I don't blame the boy for asking for that. I would too. From now on, that's standard operating procedure, disinfecting the terminals before each guest goes through. Saves us a lot of lawsuits." He smiled at Rumple. "That's a smart boy you've got there."

"Thanks. He's too smart, sometimes, "Bae said, assuming the man was some kind of airport official.

The attendants wanted to duct tape the kid's mouth shut.

The detective chuckled. "I have one just like him at home." He knelt and asked Rumple, "Can I see your cane for a minute, son? I just want to scan it real quick and then you can go into the room, okay?"

Rumple gave him his cane. "Just give it back, cause I need it to walk."

"I will," Carlyle assured him and handed the cane to one attendant to put through the scanner and then handed it back to Rumple. "There you go!"

Belle and Archie were next in line.

Rumple walked through the portal as quickly as he could and immediately asked Bae to pick him up afterwards.

"Okay Belle, are you ready?"

He handed his umbrella to Carlyle to scan.

The attendant was going to send Belle through until Carlyle reminded her to wipe it down first. She was furious and couldn't wait for him to leave.

Belle stepped through the terminal and kept looking down at the floor for the dreaded black goo Killian warned them about, not wanting it to get in her and make her have a nasty alien baby.

She ran to Archie to pick her up as soon as she came out.

"We gotta go make sure Pongo's okay." she reminded him.

"How are you feeling, Pongo?" Rumple asked the Dalmatian.

I don't like flying and I didn't like where I was kept any better.

"Sorry bout that...but we hadta put you there cause you couldn't sit with us."

Ah well...it'll be worth it if I can have my Perdy and Archie can have his mate too.

"We'll find some way to bring this Selene to you so's you can check her out, okay?"

All right and if she's like some of those other idiots he's gone out with, I am biting her.

"Whoa! Hope you don't have to."

"There's supposed to be a shuttle taking us to the hotel," Emma said to Bae.

"Good."

"Oooh what's that?" Killian asked.

He was pointing over at the baggage carousel. "Looks like a merry-go round. Cool!"

He took off before his parents could stop him and climbed up onto the machine.

"Killian Gold, you get down from there now!" Bae cried.

"Wheeeee! Look guys I'm goin for a ride!"

"Ooh! I wanna try!" Regina cried.

"No, no no..." Emma groaned.

She picked up Regina before she could jump on.

"Gotcha!" Bae exclaimed and grabbed Killian. "Don't do that again!"

"But it was fun!" Killian protested.

"Fun? You could have gotten a hand or your foot caught in the belt," Bae scolded. "Now you stay right here by me, young man or else you're getting a swat and time out when we get to the hotel." He ran a hand through his hair and thought, Papa how did you do it?

"M'sorry Dad!" he wailed.

The kids were bored during the ride to the hotel.

"Member how we cruised 'round in the Justice Mobiles on your birthday, Killian?" Rumple asked him.

The little pirate grinned. "Yep."

After Killian opened his gifts, the four toddlers cornered Bae, demanding he get the Justice Mobiles out of the garage.

"We wanna go for a ride!" they cried.

"All right but you stay on the sidewalks...understood?"

"M'drivin'!" Belle informed Rumple.

"No m'drivin!"

"Move over I know how!"

"You've only been driving a few weeks!"

"M'drivin or m'kickin ya ta the curb!"

"What? You'd kick me out over a CAR? Where's your priorities, dearie?"

"I'm kickin ya outta the car smartie!"

She started the car up and sped off down the sidewalk.

"Belle! Watch out for the 'lectrical box!"

She swerved to the right.

"Told ya I can drive!"

Rumple covered his eyes. "Oh my GOD! Watch out for the tree!"

Belle swerved around the little sapling. "M'fine! Relax!"

"Relax? You're goin' t'hit Mrs. Peabody's mailbox if you don't watch the road!" Rumple yelled, and limped after her. "I toldja I shoulda drove!"

Killian and Regina followed them. "Ya need a lift, Rumple?" Regina asked, stopping beside him.

Both of them were laughing.

Belle stuck her tongue out. "Ha! You watch Mister Smartie! I can drive!"

"Yeah, drive me nuts! C'mere and pick me up! I'm drivin back!"

"No way Jose!" Belle singsonged.

Rumple facepalmed himself. "You're gonna drive me to drink, dearie! And I don't even LIKE alcohol!"

Some older kids, around seven or eight, were skateboarding down the sidewalk. "Ooh, look at the kiddies in their little cars!" They began skating in front of them. "Look out, babies! Don't wanna crash, do ya?"

"Don't be a butthole, Matt!" snapped Killian. One of them was a kid who lived across the street. "Get outta the way!"

"Make me!" Matt challenged.

"How bout we play skater polo!" shrilled Regina.

Rumple was cranky. "Move your butt, dearie! Or lose it!"

"Oh, you and what army, Tiny Tim?"

Regina hummed the theme from Jaws and sped up.

"M'gonna ram him!"

The front of the Power Wheels now had angry eyes and fangs.

"Say hello to our little friend!" hooted Killian.

"Ya gots a choice jerk...ya move or I send ya ta China!" Regina yelled at Matt.

The Power Wheels transformed into a shark mobile.

Matt screamed, picked up his skateboard and took off.

His companion sneered at Belle. "What about you, lil baby? You gonna go cry to your mama!" He gave her the finger.

She smirked and drove past him, running over his feet.

"That answer your question, smartie?"

Rumple ran up and whacked him in the butt with his cane. "Learn some manners, butthole! B'fore I teach ya some with my cane of doom!"

"Owwww! Owww! You guys are nuts!"

"Nope, we're the Nevegers an don't you forget it!" shouted Killian.

Back on the shuttle to the hotel they all laughed as they remember that day.

"We there yet?" Regina demanded impatiently.

"No and don't start that!" Bae cautioned.

"But were bored Bae an we wanna see The Disney stuff!" Rumple complained.

"We'll be there soon, just sit tight."

Downtown Orlando:

"Come along Perdy," Selene Paddington said. The Dalmatian jumped off the sofa and ran over to the front door, pulling her lead off the wall with her teeth and depositing it at her mistress's feet.

She loved going for their walks before her mistress had to leave for her job and her mistress seemed more upset lately than she had been before. Perdy laid the blame at the feet of the man Selene had just broken up with and shed never liked him, tempted to bite him a few times when he treated Selene badly.

She hated seeing her mistress unhappy and hoped one day she would find a mate...and she could find her Pongo.

Selene seemed to spend a great deal of time looking at pictures of men on the computer...an online dating service Perdy heard Selene's mother call it. Perdy didn't care much for Carla Paddington either. The woman never gave her daughter a moment's peace.

Also adding to Selene's distress were the stories of animals being murdered for their pelts. She loved animals and wanted those responsible caught and punished and was now afraid to let Perdy at home while she worked. She was able to take her to the shelter but not to the Magic Kingdom where she worked as a tour guide.

"Nothing, Perdy. I've written him and heard nothing. At the very least he could just send me a note telling me to bugger off instead of just ignoring me altogether!"

"Woof?" Perdy barked, confused.

They sat down on a bench in the park.

"He sounded so perfect...he lives rather far away but he's what I'm looking for...doesn't drink, doesn't smoke and he has a Dalmatian named Pongo."

Perdy's ears perked up. "At first I thought it was some sort of joke but there was a picture of them...not a Photoshop piece of work like the rest of the lot."

She sighed. "But nothing...no emails back...no phone calls just nothing!"

Perdy whined.

"Maybe Mum's right and I should just stop looking."

Perdy growled.

They walked back to the apartment in silence.

Perdy wanted to know who the man was that upset her mistress this time because she would give him a bite on his backside that would make it hard for him to sit for a week!

Disney:

"Okay guys, we're here!" Emma announced.

The kids were anxious to go to Disney World but Emma was exhausted from the trip and wanted to take a nap first.

"Awwww we don't need a nap!"

"Mom why don't you let Dad take us to the park and you can sleep?" Henry suggested.

"Because I want us to go together and we need to get unpacked first."

"Awww!"

Emma was beginning to wish they'd taken the trip earlier. She was going to need all her energy to keep up with five kids even if Bae and Archie were there to help out!

"You better not snore Killian an no fartin or m'kickin ya outta the bed an you can sleep with Henry!" Rumple warned.

"Hey when ya gotta do it, ya gotta do it!" Killian smirked.

"Then I'm wearin' a gas mask, dearie!"

"Yeah like you don't do it! Gimme a break!"

Henry laughed.

"Okay boys settle down and let's get this stuff put away," Bae said.

Across the hall Archie was helping the girls unpack.

"Okay bookworm, here's the deal...no reading in your sleep!" Regina said to Belle.

"Yeah well I don't wanna wake up in drool neither!" Belle retorted.

Archie laughed.

"Not funny! It's 'gusting!"

Regina gave her an Evil Queen glare. "Keep it up an I'll fart too!"

"Ewwwww! Nasty!"

"Come on, enough of that," Archie scolded gently.

It wasn't long after they unpacked that the kids were all complaining of being tired and needed a nap after all. It was still early in the morning and they would have the rest of the day to start their tour.

Thankfully they were able to book a suite for their stay charged to Rumple's Black AmEx. He insisted on it, thinking a deluxe suite would be much cleaner than standard rooms.

Before he got into bed he turned all the lights off in the room and closed the curtains.

"What're ya doing?" Killian inquired.

"Gotta check an make sure this place is really clean!"

"You gonna use that light thingie?"

"Yup!"

He conjured a special UV light and pointed it to the beds, scowling when it revealed a stain on one of the pillow cases.

"Germs!" he screeched and waved his hand over it to clean it.

"Ya see any more?"

"M'lookin."

"Better look for black goo too."

After he inspected their room and declared it germ free he went across the hall to Belle and Regina's room.

There were a few spots on the bed and pillows that he needed to clean and continued his inspection in the bathroom, cringing in horror at all the lighted areas around the shower and toilet.

"Gross!" he moaned.

He conjured a small brigade of cleaning supplies that attacked the dirty bathroom with a vengeance.

He then marched down to Emma and Bae's room with his cleaning army at his heels.

"Ummm...Rumple...what're you doing?"

"Emma can't take a nap till I 'spect the room for germs!"

"It looks clean to me..."

"Oh ya think? I don't dearie!"

"Rumple c'mon I'm tired!" Emma groaned.

"Yeah well you're not sleepin in germs! Bad for you an the baby!"

They decided it was wiser to humor him. Fortunately he didn't find anything in their room or Archie's and they were all able to lie down for a nap.

Rumple was awakened sometime later hearing Killian snoring.

"Awww quit it!" he grouched.

He threw his pillow at the other boy.

Killian kept right on snoring.

Rumple stuck his pillow over his head. "Ya know, you could cut wood with that!"

Henry woke up to use the bathroom. "Holy crap! He is loud!"

Riiiiipppp!

"Awww you butthole!"

Henry came out of the bathroom and pulled his shirt up over his nose. "What died in here?!"

A gas mask appeared on Rumple's face. "Ask Mr. Stinky Butt!"

"That's worse than the time Scout farted after eating baked beans!" the other boy groaned. "Got an extra one of those, Rumple?"

Rumple gestured and another mask appeared on Henry's face.

The little pirate slept on, oblivious to it all.

Rumple turned over and tugged his blanket over himself. Then he huffed and tried to get some sleep.

Archie woke up first after Pongo jumped on the bed to let him know he needed to go outside.

"Okay boy...but quiet...we don't want to wake everyone else up!"

Bae slipped out of bed an hour later to go purchase some snacks for everyone and pick up a few maps of the city, frowning when he noticed that there seemed to be police and security guards everywhere he looked.

Something's up, he thought and grabbed a newspaper. Making him even more suspicious, he spotted that same man from the airport in their hotel.

A police officer walked up to him and whispered something in his ear that seemed to upset him and the two men ran outside.

Bae sat down at one of the tables and opened the newspaper. On the front page were three disturbing stories about a series of unexplained deaths, a child going missing and animals being killed for their pelts.

He raced back to the hotel suite to tell Emma. They were going to have to be careful. Orlando it seemed, was not as safe as they thought.

"Em! Em! Wake up!" bae cried, shaking her shoulder.

"Huh? Bae, go 'way! M' tired! I just fell asleep after puking again!"

"You have to read this Em!" he said urgently, thrusting the newspaper at her.

"Godsake, Bae!" she growled and took the paper. "What is it? A sale on all the Disney princesses? Christmas isn;t till next year!"

Then she began to read and suddenly was wide awake. "God! I don't believe this! No wonder they had beefed up security measures at the airport!"

"Why the hell aren't the feds here? They've got a freakin serial killer running loose?!"

"Maybe they are here and we don't know it? That guy we talked to . . .he seemed to be someone with some clout. Maybe he's a Fed?"

"I sure as hell hope so! But...just in case I'm going to ask Papa to turn back into an adult long enough to talk to him about it."

"Baelfire . . .we're supposed to be here on vacation," Emma reminded him. "Not trying to solve crimes. Let's just lie low for awhile and if anything tries to hurt the kids, then we act. I don't want to be accused of butting our noses in where we're not wanted. Feds can be touchy if they think somebody's questioning them too much about things they're trying to keep under the radar."

"Okay but I don't like it...not one bit."

"I don't either. But this isn't our town and not our place to go butting in. They could have us arrested if they think we're asking too many questions. And the last thing I want is to have another kid in jail."

He sighed. "We'll just have to make sure to keep an eye on the kids at all times."

"Right. Speaking of them, where are they? Still asleep?"

"Yeah, let's go wake em up."

"Okay."

It was so humid out that Archie's shirt was drenched in sweat by the time he and Pongo got back to the hotel.

Archie was still in the shower when he heard a frantic pounding on the door. "Hey Archie can ya hurry up! I gotta pee!" shrilled Regina.

"I'll be right out!" he called back.

"Yeah well make it like yesterday cause I don't wanna pee myself!"

He stepped out of the shower and searched for his robe but he couldn't see it or anything else well enough without his glasses.

Regina pounded harder. "C'mon hurry up can feel it getting ready ta come out an if I pee myself m'gonna make ya a bug again!"

"Oh gods...I'm coming out!" he cried and grabbed a towel to wrap around him.

As soon as he opened the bathroom door Regina gave him an Evil Queen glare. "Took ya long 'nough!" she barked, giving him a shove and slammed the door behind her.

He sat down on the sofa while he waited to go back in the bathroom to get his glasses and clothes. Rumple and Belle came out of one of the bedrooms.

"Why you half naked?" Rumple asked.

"That's my Belle towel. Why you wearing my Belle towel?" demanded Belle.

"Ummm...Regina had to use the bathroom and..." His face flushed with embarrassment. The last thing he wanted to be doing was parading around half naked when there were kids in the room.

"Why didn'cha put a robe on?" Rumple frowned.

"I ahhh...couldn't see it," he admitted.

"So you're kinda blind without your glasses?"

"Ummm...something like that."

"An slow!" Regina snapped from the doorway. "Yous lucky I made it cause if I havta start wearing Pull Ups again cause you take too long getting a bath, m'gonna turn ya into a bug!"

Archie feared he was going to be the one needing therapy by the time this vacation was over!

"What's going on here?" Bae asked and started laughing. "Archie! Really? A Belle towel?"

"It's MY towel!" Belle cried indignantly.

"Oh for the gods' sake it was the first thing I could find! I can't see that good without my glasses, you know and I have the queen over there pounding on the door!"

Bae started laughing. "Welcome to the nut house!"

"Yes...well...I'll go get dressed now!"

"An' make sure ya fold my towel!" Belle instructed.

"What do you think I am...a slob?" came the response through the bathroom door.

"Yep...he's gonna wanna check himself inta the nuthouse with the nuts," Killian chuckled.

"Nuh-uh...he's gotta learn how ta deal with kids 'case he n'Selene have one," Belle whispered.

"If we find her," Henry mumbled.

"Oh, we will, dearie," Rumple assured him. "True love always finds a way."

The kids were singing "It's a Small World during the ride to the park and cheered when they saw the entrance.

"Walt Disney World: Where Dreams Come True!" Belle read.

The kids jumped out of the car as soon as they parked. Bae whistled loudly, bringing them all to a halt. "Buddy system! Everybody pair up and no wandering off. Understand?"

"Okay Bae," Rumple said and took Henry's hand, allowing Killian to take his father's. Regina stayed by Emma as she always did while Belle continued to be Archie's constant companion and he actually didn't mind it until she started talking about getting him a girlfriend.

They were greeted to a song and dance extravaganza as soon as they walked through the front entrance to the Magic Kingdom since they were among the first guests to arrive at the park as it was about to open.

"Emma! Lookit! There's Mickey an Donald….Alice, the Rabbit…an Jasmine!" Regina cried, pointing at each of the characters as they waved down at the crowd.

"Where's Belle n' the Beast? I wanna see Belle n' the Beast!" Belle pouted.

"We'll see them later honey," Archie said soothingly.

"I wanna see them now!"

"Aww pipe down an wait for it!" Regina grouched.

Belle glared at her. "Well that's who I came to see so shut up!"

"Girls! Enough!" Emma said sternly.

Bae handed the camera to Archie to take a picture of all of them standing in front of the train station entrance. Killian smirked as he stood beside Rumple and gave him bunny ears.

"Cut it out!"

"Archie, take another one. No bunny ears this time Killian and smile," Bae ordered.

The former cricket chuckled and snapped another picture for the Nevenger adventures album.

"Okay…your turn…get in there beside Emma." Bae took the camera and snapped another picture with Archie posing with Emma and the kids.

While they were walking through Main Street they spotted Mickey Mouse posing for pictures with several children.

Emma stopped at a balloon vendor and purchased some balloons for the children to carry.

"You okay, hon?" Bae asked her.

"Yeah."

"Oooh there's a toy store. C'mon Dad, let's go in!" Killian cried and started pulling his father toward a toy shop. Emma looked down at her map. The shop wasn't listed among the sites.

"Must've been put up after they already published the maps," she mumbled.

She felt a chill go down her spine the minute she walked into the toy store. An elderly man stepped out from behind the counter and smiled at the group. The children backed away from him and clung to the adults.

"There's no need to be frightened," the man said in a distinctly Russian accent. "Come...see what magnificent toys I have for sale..."

Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly, Emma thought.

"This store isn't on our map...why is that?" Emma asked him.

"I've just opened," he replied. He took a doll down off one of the shelves and showed it to Belle and Regina. "Isn't this a lovely doll?" he asked them.

"Ummm...yeah..." Regina mumbled, not wanting to be rude but the man gave her the creeps. Belle hid behind Archie.

Rumple stepped forward, trying to be brave but his heart was pounding. There was something strange about this shop and the man who operated it but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Ummm...do you make all this stuff yourself?" he asked.

"Most of it, yes." He handed the small sorcerer a toy soldier.

"Henry...I don't wanna stay in here anymore..." Killian whispered to his brother.

"Me neither. Dad...we're umm...gonna go outside."

"Okay but you stay right outside the shop, understand?"

Henry took Killian's hand and they went outside. "There's something weird about that guy. You feel it too huh?" Henry asked the toddler.

"Uh-huh. Kinda reminds me of Rumple's dick dad…ya know how Rumple usta say he'd be real nice to ya then con ya outta your money or whatever?"

"I'm not going in there again."

"Me neither. Hope they come out real soon 'fore that creepy guy tries to rob 'em or something."

Inside the shop, the owner glanced down at Emma's swollen belly. "Ah…..you're expecting. Perhaps you'd like to buy a gift for your little one?"

"Ummm…maybe some other time."

"Archie….I wanna go see Beauty an the Beast now…" Belle whimpered.

"I guess we'll be going now..." Emma said. She grabbed Regina's hand and the group left the shop, all of them still feeling uneasy.

"Mom, there's something weird about that guy. Did you feel it?"

"I felt like someone walked over my grave Henry."

"It's probably nothing you guys," Bae tried to reassure them.

"S'not nothing," protested his father. "Were we wrong 'bout the bad Santa? Nuh-uh!"

"Didn't you feel weird, Archie?" Belle asked him.

"A little," he confessed, the man reminding him a bit of his own con artist father.

"Belle, look there's the librarian!" Rumple whispered to her pointing to where Selene Paddington was sitting eating her breakfast.

She grinned.

"It's showtime, dearie!"

She walked over to Archie while the others hung back with Bae and Emma.

"Archie, I wanna ice tea." she said.

"Ummm...okay ...but don't you think you should ask if the others want anything first?"

"They're fine, let's go!"

"Wait a minute...Belle..." he protested.

She practically dragged him down the street, keeping a firm eye on Selene Paddington and quickened her pace when she saw the woman get up from the bench and start walking in their direction.

"Belle...slow down!"

The others watched with their fingers crossed behind their backs.

"Belle!" Archie cried, trying to keep up with the little girl while she pulled him through the crowd. Selene Paddington was walking toward them but something distracted her and she and Archie collided, their glasses falling off their faces.

The two adults kneeled on the ground searching for their glasses and accidently grabbed the wrong pairs.

"These aren't mine!" Archie exclaimed. The prescription was so weak he could barely see.

"Bloody hell! Whoever owns these is as blind as a bat!" Selene Paddington exclaimed.

She took them off and gazed into the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen and a very familiar face.

"These must be...it's you!" she gasped.

Belle gave her friends the thumbs up.

"Way ta go dearie!" Rumple cheered.

"I'm sorry...have we met before?" Archie asked nervously, unable to take his eyes off the lady in front of him.

"You don't remember me? I emailed you a week ago but you never answered me!"

"There must be some mistake...I don't own a computer. I wouldn't even begin to know how to use one."

"Uh oh..." Belle muttered under her breath.

"Well if you weren't interested the least you could do is just say so and not feed me a line of bollocks!" Selene snapped.

"A line of...Miss, I have no idea what you're talking about so would you please explain it to me?"

She glared at him. "Paddington! Selene Paddington! ! You have a profile there or did someone bop you over the head with that umbrella you carry and knock your brains out along with your memory?"

"Oh no!" he groaned. "They didn't! You didn't?" he demanded of Belle.

"Yup!" she declared proudly.

"Miss Paddington...ummm...I didn't put that profile online...my friend's kids did..."

"Uh-huh!" Belle said.

"Well...this is a bit embarrassing, isn't it?" Selene said nervously when she got to her feet.

At first she thought it best if she walked away before she embarrassed herself any further but she had to admit that Doctor Hopper looked more handsome in person and spoke with the softest voice she'd ever heard.

"And you've got some explaining to do, Belle Gold..." Archie said to the smirking toddler.

"So...ahhh...should we just...forget this ever happened and move on?" Selena stammered.

"No!" Belle cried. "Archie, talk to her!" The toddler gave him a small shove in Selene's direction.

"What's going on over here?" Bae asked approaching them with the others in tow.

"You might want to ask your oldest son that question, Bae," Archie replied.

"Henry...what did you do now?"

"Apparently this lot put Doctor Hopper's profile on without asking and I sent him an email thinking he wanted to meet me but he never answered me. Now I know why," Selene explained.

"Henry!" Emma exclaimed.

"Yeah, well you need a girlfriend!" Killian said, pointing at Archie and winking at Selene. "Ya know...he doesn't smoke, do reefers, drink an he's got a good job. Not a deadbeat."

"An he's got no priors...'cept that parking ticket." added Rumple.

Archie facepalmed himself.

Selene laughed. "You sounded like a police officer, lad."

"Oooh she gots a English accent!" Regina exclaimed.

"M' gonna be a lawyer when I grow up!" Rumple stated. "So's I gotta learn to talk like one."

"Well you do it rather well."

Rumple beamed happily.

"Do you really gots a Dalmatian named Perdy?" Belle inquired.

"Yes...yes I do."

"Cool. Archie's got one named Pongo. Yous like Roger n Anita in 101 Dalmatians!"

"You honestly do?" Selene asked him.

"You have one named Perdy?" he inquired.

They stared at each other.

"Well...ahhh...I've always loved the movie," Selene said softly.

"An do ya work at a pet shelter?" Belle inquired.

"I do, but always make sure it's a no kill shelter first."

"How come ya talk like yous from England?" Regina asked.

"Why don't we all sit down...my back is killing me!" Emma grumbled.

"Well...I grew up outside of London, hence my accent but Mum moved us here when I was still in high school," Selene was saying when they sat down at a table.

She was dreading what her mother would say now that she met Doctor Hopper. She suggested her daughter not try to date someone who was a primary target for the fashion police.

"Henry I can't believe you did that," Emma scolded her son.

"So...are all these children yours?" Selene asked Bae.

"Yeah...This is Henry...Rumple, Regina, Killian and Belle."

"Rumple? As in Rumplestiltskin? You must love fairy tales."

"We ahh...kinda do."

"Oh."

She didn't...nor did she believe all the hype that came out of that den of fantasy she worked in. it gave children the impression that life was a fairy tale and that only the pretty people got everything.

Or that you had to be perfectly good and proper and selfless to ever get anywhere and only then would everything fall into place.

While the children saw the smiles the actors playing the Disney characters put on and sang the beautiful songs she knew what the truth was after the park closed. Their current Ariel was the worst airhead she'd even seen, Belle was a cheating bitch who stole many boyfriends including Selene's last one. Their Snow White was not so Snow White...she was known as the little engine that pulled the train around Orlando. She didn't want to get started on the 'Prince Charmings'. Gaston was more interested in the Beast than Belle which she couldn't blame him for.

Archie noticed a change in Selene's demeanor when the discussion turned to fairy tales.

"I don't...read them that often...I'm geared more toward the movies that are a bit more...realistic."

"Are ya workin today?" Killian asked her.

"Later on."

"Cool! Then you can hang out with us!" Belle said, leaving no room for argument.

"Belle, I'm sure she has other plans."

"C'mon Archie! How you gonna get to know each other if you don't see each other?" she prodded.

"Belle, enough!" Emma warned.

"I don't have any other plans...and now that you're ahhh...here...Doctor Hopper...I suppose…"

"Archie," he corrected with a smile. They'd gotten off on the wrong foot but he wanted to get to know her better.

The Nevengers elbowed each other.

"All right Archie...I'll spend the afternoon with you...if you don't mind that is?" Selene asked Bae and Emma.

"It's fine."

"Yay!" the kids cheered. Operation: Find Archie a Date was going well and now they had to concentrate on Operation: Get Him Married.

Meanwhile on the other side of the park two people gazed into a scrying globe.

"One of them is with child...the other three; their magic is not of this world," the man said.

"And...if that clumsy ox she met does have a Dalmatian that can mate with that worthless mutt of hers...I'll have a new puppy coat," a woman said gleefully.

And more corpse dust when she took the bones of the child the other woman carried in her belly.

"It seems Selene actually can do something useful after all."

They would use the silly girl's budding romance with that clumsy fool to bring the ones they needed to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked Killian's birthday, since that was requested by someone and the driving the Justice Mobiles. Who knows the name of the Dr. Seuss book David referred to during the food fight? Who wants to take a guess at who the bad guys are in this fic? Hint-they've not been on the show.


	3. Here There be Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Belle vs Belle at Disney World storytime, Rumple learns a secret about the park's Gaston and has a terrifying encounter with Rasputin. Archie and Pongo meet Perdy....and Cruella De Vil! There are more deaths in the city.

3  
~ Here There Be Monsters ~

 

Night time was always the best time for hunting and cities like Orlando had a never ending supply of prey. The hunter’s favorite targets were those wandering out of the bars and night clubs after 3 AM. It made the chase less thrilling but the thrill of the kill never diminished. Using the foot of a crow as its talisman, the hunter waited for its prey among the branches of a palm tree outside a bar. It could take any animal form it wished as long as it had an item of it and sometimes wearing the pelt of the animal was not feasible as it called attention to the hunter’s true identity. In a small pouch around its foot it carried its favorite weapon of choice against its victims. 

The crow watched with anticipation as the lights were extinguished inside the bar and a group of drunken patrons staggered out the parking lot to their cars, awaiting taxis or they would stagger home on their own two feet and singled out its catch of the evening, a Caucasian male in his early forties, slender build with blond hair and blue eyes. The crow took flight, pursuing him down an alley. When the man stopped to urinate against the side of a building, the hunter shifted back into its true form. Seeing he was not alone, the man gasped and hastily zipped up his jeans. 

“Oh shi…..didn’t see you standing there.” 

“Of course you didn’t,” the hunter said coldly and stretched out her hand, blowing into it. A gray powder floated on the breeze and into the man’s nostrils. He gasped for air and slid down the side of the building to the ground, convulsing violently; The hunter kneeled down and gazed into his terrified eyes and smiled a smile that chilled the blood. 

“It’s absolutely terrifying, isn’t it….not having the ability to move or speak?” it taunted. “I suppose now you’re thinking…what do you want with me or why are you doing this to me? The answer is quite simple…I enjoy it. About now your heart feels as if it is going to burst in your chest….but it won’t. No, you’ll just slowly wither away.” 

After several more minutes the man closed his eyes and breathed his last. The hunter stood up, changed its form again and started walking down the street, whistling the song “Cruella De Vil,” from 101 Dalmatians. She found it amusing that she had her own theme song. Not all hunters had that luxury. Everyone in this world assumed she was just a character in books or movies. Oh, what they didn’t know but it was this that kept that short little moron Detective Carlyle off her scent. Sooner or later they would come face to face and he would know how it felt to be the hunted. 

She walked to where she’d parked her car and drove back to Disney World. A few sprinkles of a sleeping draught incapacitated most of the security guards. Others were too busy playing games on their phones or surfing the web for pornography. 

Ah, the adult entertainment industry. Lowering the IQs of the human race point by point daily, she mused with a grin and unlocked the door to the toy store. She picked up a toy soldier on the shelf behind the counter and a panel in the wall opened, leading her down a flight of stairs to Rasputin’s laboratory. He was sitting at his worktable reading a spellbook. 

“Extracting the childrens’ magical essence is not going to be easy,” he said as a greeting. 

“I didn’t expect it to be but we will have it…and the bones of the child the blond woman carries. The corpse dust I will make from its remains will be stronger than any I’ve possessed before due to the child’s special heritage.” 

“The children were not as receptive to me as I would have liked.” 

“How many times have I told you that you have a face that terrifies them?” 

He glared at her.

"You need to work on your people skills Rasputin...and a makeover is highly recommended. Did wonders for me."

"I don't find you amusing."

"Of course you don't but I am useful to you...just as you have your uses for me."

"Very well. And how do you suggest I make myself more...friendly to children?"

"These ones will be more difficult to deceive, especially the disabled one. He is the strongest of them...surely you sensed it."

"That and something else....an old soul..." the sorcerer murmured.

"Hmmm....an adult taking child form....interesting but rarely done as the mage's mind regresses into a child's unless they have some sort of talisman to help them retain adult memories."

“If he does indeed have a talisman, we will need to take it in order to keep him trapped in child form,” Rasputin said. 

The souls of the children they’d already taken would be enough to sustain them for now. 

Four excited children burst through the door to Bae and Emma’s room early the next morning. 

“C’mon get up! We wanna go to Disney!” Regina shrilled. Rumple climbed onto the bed and started jumping up and down while Belle tried to pull the covers off the couple. Killian stood at the foot of the bed with a bucket of ice water ready. 

“Guys! Guys, knock it off! What did you do, ingest a truck of sugar or what?” Bae grouched. 

“Bae, we wanna go to Disney today,” Rumple pleaded. 

“I know but it’s not time for the park to open yet and we need to get some breakfast first.” 

“Can’t we sleep a bit longer?” Emma moaned. She’d barely gotten any sleep the night before, unable to find a position comfortable enough but even after she gave birth she knew she would still have trouble sleeping with an infant in the house. 

“You go ahead hon. I’ll deal with this,” Bae said softly. “All right guys, let’s go get something for breakfast and let Emma sleep a little bit. She’s tired.” 

“Cause of the baby. I ‘member Bae,” Rumple said. “We gotta be quiet an let Emma sleep,” he told the others and put a finger to his lips. They nodded their heads in agreement, not wanting Emma to be mad at them. 

Henry was already awake and watching his Walking Dead DVD on the big screen when the kids walked into the living room. Killian hopped onto the sofa beside him.

"What's this one, Henry?"

"Never you mind," he said with a grin and turned it off, switching the channel to Boomerang instead.

"Aww c'mon Henry, I wanna watch the zombies get wasted!"

"Yeah well do you want Dad to kick my butt?"

"Umm....no..."

"Okay then. You gotta watch Scooby Doo."

Bae turned on the television in the dining room so that the kids could watch the cartoon while they ate. Rumple was watching Shaggy and Scooby have yet another snack, frowning.

"Musta smoked too much weed. Shaggy's hungry again."

Henry spit out his milk.

"G....Rumple! Shaggy doesn't smoke weed!"

"Uh-huh. S'why he hasta eat all the time. Druggie with the munchies."

"Rumplestiltskin Gold, where did you hear that?" Bae asked, trying to hold back his own laughter as he remembered his father as an adult saying something similar.

"It's on the 'puter," the little sorcerer said.

"He don't smoke weed, he's just lazy," Belle argued.

"Nope. He's a doper," Rumple refuted.

Belle glared at him. "Oh yeah? You gots evidence, Mister Bigshot Lawyer?"

"Yeah...when they was shootin’ the movie, they put stuff with him smoking weed in it an cut it."

"I'll never be able to look at Shaggy the same way again!" Henry laughed.

"’Sides, there's a thing 'bout it in Newsweek," Rumple went on. "’Mong other stuff like what was Daphne an Fred doin when they'd go clue huntin? Betcha it wasn't huntin clues."

"Oh...my God!"

A crash was heard from the doorway as Archie dropped his glass of orange juice.

"An they think Velma kinda had a thing for Daphne," Rumple added.

"Huh? Where you see that? They're buddies," Regina wanted to know.

"Lotsa people who watch it saw it."

“Ooookay….enough about that!” Bae turned on the news to see the weather forecast. 

"...Another body was discovered today a few blocks from the bar where the victim was last seen alive...Police have yet to issue a statement but sources claim...."

Bae quickly changed the channel. The four children turned their heads in his direction.

"People are getting killed?" Rumple asked worriedly.

"Rumple, what if it’s a zombie attack...or the black goo!? We gotta put our cones an magnatite on so's they can't get us!" Killian whimpered.

"Guys, calm down....no one's going to hurt you. They'd have to get through us first," Bae said fiercely.

He motioned for Archie to go into the living room with him. The therapist crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at his assistant.

"There something you want to tell me?"

Bae repeated everything he read in the paper about the deaths, the missing children and seeing the same detective from the airport in the hotel.

"I know my father is more than a match for anyone who might want to hurt him but we can't let any of them out of our sight for a minute."

"I know but we want to be careful they don't see any more news reports, Bae. They're already terrified."

“I know Archie.” 

They returned to the dining room. The kids finished their breakfast and returned to the living room to watch cartoons with Henry. Emma woke up an hour later. Belle was eager to go to story time, Killian wanted to meet Jack Sparrow, Henry wanted to go on every roller coaster ride in the park while his father told him to keep a supply of vomit bags handy. Regina wanted to see the Evil Queen and Rumple was just happy to be with Bae and his friends. 

“You gonna see Selene today Archie?” Belle quizzed the therapist during the ride to the park. 

“Umm….yes. She said she wanted to meet me for lunch…” he said nervously. 

Rumple studied his outfit, nodding with approval. “You oughta wear blue more often Archie ‘stead of that crap the looks like ya got it at a yard sale in the 70s.” He was wearing another blue dress shirt with black slacks along with one of Rumple’s Ferragamo ties. 

"An what's that stuff ya got on? S'not Axe. Axe makes the girls really chase ya." Killian pointed out.

"I tried it on him. He said it made him gag," said Henry.

"Ya don't need fancy smelling stuff to make her like you. Don'cha listen to that," Belle said. "All you gotta do is be yourself...really sweet."

Rumple cocked his head. "That an' use Brut cologne," he informed the therapist. "It's nice and doesn't make you want to pass out."

"Ooo that what you have on now?" Belle sniffed Rumple's collar. 

"Uh huh. Bae let me use some."

"That's what I have on too." Archie said.

"You gonna get some leg tonight for suuureee!" Killian sang.

"Killian Gold!" Emma exclaimed.

Henry almost choked on the Pop Tart he was eating.

"S'what David Lee Roth says!"

Archie was blushing.

Emma glared at Bae. "Did you forget to reshuffle your iPod again, Baelfire?"

Bae spread his hands. "Em, I do have my own playlist and I'm not gonna just put Sesame Street tunes on it!"

He leveled a stern finger at his son. "You better quit snooping around and touching what doesn't belong to you, mister, or else somebody's gonna have time out and a sore butt."

"Like Van Halen!" he cried. "M' hot for teacher!" he sang.

"Jailbait!" Regina muttered.

Bae facepalmed himself. "Oh, God! Sometimes I think I'm talking to a wall."

Rumple smirked. "Sounds familiar."

Now Bae wondered how he'd survived to fourteen. I was lucky and never knew just HOW lucky.

"Thank God my phone has nothing like that on it," Archie sighed.

"All you bad bad boys call her up on...."

Henry started laughing so hard he choked and Bae had to swat him on the back.

"Killian Gold if you sing the rest of that you ARE gonna have a sore butt!" Emma threatened.

"Call her up on what?" Belle was curious.

 

"Betcha its one a those 900 hundred numbers with Miss Hobag and the Heavy Breathing Band," answered Regina.

"Yup. Press one to have 50 Shades," Rumple nodded.

Emma almost passed out. "How the HELL-Bae, my God!"

Bae was wondering if he should start digging his grave.

"How do ya know that, Rumple?" Belle asked, giving him a scowl.

Regina smirked. "Yeah inquirin minds wanna know. You cheatin on Belle with Miss Skanky Undies?"

"A wrong number called Grandpa's shop one day," Henry put in. "I was there when he picked it up."

Archie was chuckling while he was sending a text.

Killian leaned over. "You sexting Selene?"

The therapist was so shocked he almost dropped his phone. "What?! No!"

"Kid! You're pushing it!" Bae warned. "One."

"Kay, Kay, I'll quit it!" Killian pouted. He knew if his father got to three his backside would be sore.

"Are we there yet?" Belle demanded impatiently.

"Good idea, bro," Rumple agreed. All of them knew they were on very thin ice if Bae started counting.

Emma was waiting for Bae to pull the rental car over.

"Guys, don't make me pull this car over," her husband growled.

"But I wanna see Belle an have story time!"  
Archie was learning one thing quickly on this vacation. You needed the patience of a saint when dealing with children.

"And I want a stiff drink," Bae muttered. "Make that two of 'em! Wonder who's gonna get what they want."

"Bae! You don't drink and drive!" Rumple yelped.

"Yeah cause you'd wreck an kill someone else an then you'd go to jail!" Belle yelled.

"God grant me patience . . ." he groaned. He’d forgotten his father had ears like a proverbial cat in long grass. "I never said I was going to have a drink now. Now hush before your chatter drives me insane and I DO crash."

All of the adults were relieved when they arrived at the park. While they were walking, a man dressed as Gaston approached them. "Hello there!" he greeted.

"Hiya!" Killian waved.

"That's Gaston, Killian! He was mean to the beast an tried to kill him so he fell off the roof of the castle an now he's a Gastoncake!" Belle exclaimed.

Rumple scowled. "Yup! Cause villains don't get happy endings!"

Gaston smiled at the toddler. "You're pretty smart. Big Beauty and the Beast fan?"

"Yeah . . .she memorized the movie," Regina put in.

More like she IS the movie! Henry thought, humming the Gaston song.

"What was your favorite part?"

"Mine was when the Beast and Belle danced in the ball room," Rumple interjected.

"You didn't like the fight scene?"

"Oh I did . . .but you asked what my favorite part was . . and that was it . . cause it showed that Belle really accepted the Beast and loved all of him," Rumple replied. "My second favorite part was when you got shoved off the roof."

Gaston laughed. "I think I fell though..."

"You ended up dead so it's all the same," the little pawnbroker pointed out.

"So why don'cha look like a pancake?" Belle asked.

"That would be a bit scary honey. I have to look nice so I don't scare anybody."

"Do you wear Axe?" Killian wanted to know. "Cause if you do it won’t matter what you look like, all the girls would come running."

"Ummm...yeah...but....." He looked away.

"Can I die now?" Emma groaned. "I have a three year old nympho!"

“So are you mean to the beast like in the movie?" Rumple asked.

"No...we're...ahhh....really good friends." Gaston winked at the toddler.

Bae's eyes went wide, knowing what the wink meant. And he knew Rumple would too . . .his papa was no dumb bunny even at three. He quickly picked up Rumple and said, "See, they're one big happy family, guys! Nice to meet you, Gaston. C'mon, let's go over and see Belle's storytime!"

"Hey we weren't done!" Killian protested.

Selene met up with them before they went in. "Hi everybody. Having a good time?"

"Yeah....Selene didya know Gaston likes the beast...like as a boyfriend?"

Her mouth dropped open. Jason, the man who played Gaston never said anything about his sexual preference around children. He knew he would get reprimanded and possibly fired.

"Ummmm.....why do you think that?"

"Cause when we was talkin about it he winked at me an said they was really good friends an I know that's what he means."

"Well....ahhhh...." She glanced over at Archie and the boy's parents.

"Isn't he a bit young to know about that?" she whispered to Archie.

"These kids...they...know quite a bit for their age...." Archie said.

Her eyes narrowed. "I see...well...I suppose you're going to storytime with Belle?"

"Uh-huh. You wanna sit with us, Selene?"

Belle smiled at her. "You can sit with Archie an hold his hand an stuff."

She wanted to strangle the witch telling the stories while she was at it and though she was starting to like Doctor Hopper, quite a bit, they weren’t ready for hand holding yet. 

Disney's Belle, whose name was Lacey, barely made it to story time on time that day. She'd been out all night, not even stopping at her apartment to take a shower and her costume had been stuffed into a bag in the backseat of her car.

Selene snorted. "The fleet's in," she muttered.

Archie gasped. "Selene!"

"Belle, that Belle looks kinda scruffy," Regina observed.

"Prolly just tired."

"Okay kids, I'm going to tell you the story of Beauty and the Beast," Lacey said. She would have preferred to be at home sleeping off her hangover but she'd already missed work too many times and would be fired if she had one more unexcused absence.She put on her best smile and started the story. She told it so many times she could recite it in her sleep but she didn’t enjoy it at all. "....And then the Beast turned into a handsome prince and they lived happily ever after."

"Why'd he hafta become a prince?" Belle asked. Lacey stared at her as if she were insane.

"Because she couldn't love a beast."

"Yeah she could!" Belle argued. "Did ya even WATCH the movie! She fell in love with the BEAST...not Good Looks No Brains!"

Rumple chuckled from his seat.

"I did watch the movie," Lacey answered sarcastically.

"When she kissed the beast an he turned into the prince she didn't even know who he was an I still think she didn't really like him as the prince cause he got dumb!"

"Okauy, that's enough Belle," Emma said sternly. Little smartass, she thought. 

Belle glared at Lacey. "So's you think you can only get a happy ending if you got good looks huh?"

"Who'd want to marry the beast?" Lacey countered.

"I would!" Belle yelled.

The other children laughed. "Yeah that'd be an interesting marriage!"Lacey snorted.

"The REAL Belle would love the beast not a dumbutt!"

Lacey rolled her eyes. "Not in fairytales honey!"

"Well they need to be retole an you's a disgrace to the Belle name. What'd you do...crawl outta bed in your clothes?"

"More like the backseat of a car," Selene giggled, enjoying seeing Lacey being knocked off her pedestal by a toddler.

"Selene!" Archie hissed.

"Okay we're leaving!" Bae said and grabbed Belle.  
As they were walking out Rumple turned around. "In the real fairytale, dearie...the beast gets the girl!"

He smirked and left her standing there stunned.

Henry hi fived Belle once they were outside. "Boy did you give it to her good!"

"Made me mad," the little librarian huffed.

"Yeah she was really dumb an she looked like she didn't take a bath. Gross. Walking germhead."

Rumple grimaced.

"Not gonna be hot for her. I’d get crabs or somethin," Killian muttered.

Emma groaned. Bae shook his head. "Killian...."  
"What's crabs gotta do with-"

"Never mind M...Regina," Henry saidf quickly.

"You know you'd win a fortune if you put this lot on the telly," Selene joked to Archie.

"No thank you.....we'd probably be banned from every station for life."

"Bae I gotta use the potty!" Rumple cried. 

"Dad, I'll take him. I gotta go too," Henry said, holding out his arms to take his toddler grandpa.

"Okay guys. Meet us right here."

"We'll be back," Henry grinned, imitating Arnold. He hurried off to the men's restroom a few yards from where they were.

Rasputin couldn't believe his luck. The boy was there along with the preteen mage. Their auras were the strongest but the younger boy....he still believed he was under a regression spell.

Henry set Rumple down. "Okay buddy. You need any help with the buttons?"  
He focused on the younger mage trying to asses his abilities but the young mage had some sort of cloaking spell on him.

It was an ability he should not have at such a young age.

The older boy was a novice, just learning the craft and could not cloak his abilities well enough.

"No, I'm good," Rumple replied, and then both of them used the facilities. It was when they were washing their hands that Rumple felt eyes on him--unfriendly probing ones.

The little boy turned to see the creepy man from the toy shop fixing him with an innerving stare . . .one that was almost predatory. The little boy backed up into Henry. "Hey! What are you lookin' at me like that for, you pervert?" he queried defensively. "You been in the slammer yet for molesting kids or what, you creep?" Something about the man was making his flesh crawl, and all his instincts were screaming at him that here was a dangerous predator, not the ordinary older man he appeared.  
"Now that wasn't polite," Rasputin said calmly though inside he was seething

"Then quit lookin' at my butt!" the child growled, his hand fastening on Henry's.

He wanted to rip out the boy’s soul then and there but it was not the right time. It could only be done during the full moon.

Henry quickly picked up Rumple. One glance at the man and he got the heebie jeebies too. There was something . . .eerily WRONG about this man.

"Rude child! Has no one taught you to respect your elders?"

"Hey, cool it, mister! He's not being mean, he's not good with strangers," Henry defended.

"He needs to learn to be," the magician said coldly.

The child was clever, he'd give him that. Perhaps Cruella would have better luck.

Henry half-turned, shielding the little boy from the other's cold gaze. "Not with the amount of sicko people around these days," he retorted. "C'mon, let's go back to Mom and Dad, okay?"

"Kay!" Rumple buried his face in the older boy's shoulder.

Henry made an almost infinitesimal motion with his finger and thumb, activating a certain protection spell taught to him by his grandfather.

Rasputin returned to the shop to wait for her. She flew in the window in her bird form and the two of them retreated to his basement to discuss the next phase of their plan.

If Selene played her part the children's guard would be down around Cruella.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked when the boys returned.

"There was some creepy pervert in the bathroom," Rumple reported. "And I swear he was lookin' at my butt like it was a sandwich!"

"What? Who?" Bae growled.

"Didja kick him in the nuts Henry?" Regina asked.

"It was that guy from the toy store," Henry replied. "I didn't like how he was looking at us either. Told us that Rumple didn't have no manners. I told him that wasn't true, and then I got the heck outta there."

Belle shivered.

Selene frowned. "That sounds like Grigori....he scares all the children."

"Next time I'm going with you," Bae said firmly. He shook his head angrily. What was the world coming to these days when two kids couldn't even go to the bathroom without worrying about some sick fuck?”

"What do you know about this man, Selene?" Archie asked.

"I don't know all that much Archie except that he's not well liked at all."

"Bae, he made me feel all dirty," Rumple whimpered, still feeling the effects of the other's aura like pond scum on his skin. He went and grabbed his son around the legs.

Bae cuddled Rumple, murmuring, "Don't worry, buddy. I'll kill him if he touches you." He knew enough about dark practitioners to know that some favored hurting and sacrificing small children above all . . .and anyone that caused such a reaction in Rumple, who was sensitive to others' auras, was someone to be wary of.

"I can see why!" Emma exclaimed. "If I wasn't pregnant he'd be getting his ass kicked!"

"Go Mom!" Killian hooted. "Lay the smackdown on him!"

"Wanna hit him an that mean Belle with books!" snarled Belle.

"Yeah, dearie! Or beat his butt with ma cane a doom!" Rumple agreed, then he waved his cane and nearly hit Bae with it.

"Wanna turn him into a worm an squish him!" said Regina.

Selene laughed. "Your friends never fail to amuse me Archie!"  
Bae laughed. "Sometimes they're a real trip. You never know what they'll come out with next."

Belle pointed to the Beauty and the Beast teacup ride. "Rumple, look! It's Chip n' Mrs. Potts ride! Let's go on it!"

Emma looked and shook her head. "You go with 'em, hon. Just looking at it is making me green."

"Yes, dearie," Bae teased then he went to get online with Belle and Rumple. Since they had the Fast Passes, they didn't need to wait in an endless line, but got on after five minutes.

Killian made a face. "Wanna go see Jack Sparrow now!"

"Hold your horses, kid! He's coming up," Emma told him. "How about we get some Italian ice over there?" she pointed to where there was a vendor selling Italian ices and cold drinks with souvenir cups.

"Do they got apple?" questioned Regina.

"Let's go and see," Emma said, her throat was dry in the Florida heat. She took Killian and Regina's hands and they went over to the ice cart.

"I want blueberry!" Killian said.

"Hey, Mom! Get me a chocolate, please!" Henry called.

Emma found they had many interesting kinds of ice, including Red Delicious Apple, Chocolate Coconut, and Raspberry Sweet Tea.

She got Killian a blueberry, Regina an apple, and herself a lemonade flavor, since lately she craved sweet and tart things. She got Henry, Bae, and Rumple a chocolate and Belle the raspberry sweet tea one.

The others were done riding the teacups when the ice was ready. While they were eating they spotted the fake Belle walking past them, eying Bae.  
She strutted over to the vendor and ordered herself some ice, keeping her eyes on Bae. 

"Why's she starin at Bae like she wants to eat him?" Belle mused.

Emma was ready to pluck her eyes out with her spoon.

"She's a tramp," Rumple began singing the song from Lady and the Tramp that Peg sings in the pound, it was about Tramp, but he knew it could apply to the fake Belle too.

"Whoa here she comes. Watch out boy she'll chew ya up. Whoa here she comes. She's a maneater!" Killian sang.

Henry spit out some of his ice.

"Dad you got Hall and Oates on your iPod?"

"No."

"Archie gots it on his an he was singing it one day when Dad took me there while he worked."

Selene glanced at her date, a grin on her face. He looked away, not wanting people to know he sang when he was alone. 

"Who let the dogs out?" Belle sang and looked right at Lacey as she went by.

"You guys are killing me!" Henry laughed.

Gonna make me pee my pants, Emma thought, and lately it didn't take much for her to do that. She put her arm possessively around Bae and glared at the other woman. He's taken, bimbo! Now find your own man! was what she wanted to say.

"Better hurry Lacey before somebody gets your street corner!" Selene cat called quoting a famous JR Ewing line from Dallas.

"Burned!" Rumple crowed, and made the hand motions of an airplane crashing into his other hand.

"Limey bitch!" Lacey hissed. "Only man you can get is a four eyed, balding old bastard!"

"Excuse me?" Archie gasped.

"Watch who you're callin' old, tart cart!" Rumple spat. "Cause you knew Jesus in third grade!"

Selene threw her drink in the other woman's face. "At least he's not the bloody seventh fleet!"

"An' your implants are sagging!" Regina called sassily.

Henry high-fived her.

"Better scratch your crabs too cause they prolly itch!" Killian taunted.

Jason, the park's Gaston stood with the Beast, both of them applauding.

Regina gestured and Lacey's skirt blew up over her head.

"Really, dearie?" Rumple hooted mockingly. "I've seen more attractive hippos!"

"Please don't wear that thoooonnggg!" Killian sang. 

"Yep, a 'sgrace to the Belle name!" Belle murmured.

"She gives cats a bad name," Rumple snorted.

Lacey ran off screaming.

"That was the funniest thing I've seen in a month of Sundays," the Beast said to Jason. His name was Rich. "Dissed by four kids barely out of diapers."

"We're the Nevengers. We kick butt an take names!" Rumple declared.

"Yup! And that's the way the cookie crumbles!" Regina smirked.

"Hope you guys stick around. Liven the place up a bit," Jason said.

"We'll be here for awhile," Bae said.

"Can we go see Jack Sparrow now?" Killian demanded.

"I'll see you all back at the hotel," Archie said softly.

Belle elbowed Rumple in the ribs.

"Hope Pongo says she's nice."

Rumple and Belle wanted to go to the Animal Kingdom. Henry and Emma took them there while Bae took Killian and Regina to the Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. The three of them sat in a small boat that navigated through various sets depicting pirate themes. They traveled through a battle with Barbossa on the sea, a bride auction, a town being sacked and spotted Jack sitting on a chair singing A Pirate’s Life For Me. 

 

“Dad, there’s Jack. HEY JACK!” Killian shouted, trying to stand up in the boat until Bae made him sit back down. Then the little pirate looked closer. "That's not the real Jack. That's a DUMMY!" he yelled.

"How can ya tell?" Regina asked.

"Cause he's talkin' like Johnny an Jonny ain't here. Just movin his mouth like some a those singers do cause they can't sing live."

Killian crossed his arms over his chest. "Didn't come here to see no stupid dummies!"

Well, today has been interesting, Bae thought. Disney's Belle is a ho, Jack Sparrow is a dummy...Gaston and the Beast are boyfriends....what's next?

Killian was still pouting when they met up with Emma and the others at the Animal Kingdom. Oddly enough the same detective from the airport was there talking to a member of the staff.

"We're going to need a copy of the security recordings from last night," he was telling the girl.

She nodded quickly, trying to avoid any of the guests hearing their discussion.

"I don't like this Emma," Bae whispered to her.

"Me neither," she admitted.

Even the children were uneasy now.

"What's goin' on?" Rumple looked from Emma to Bae worriedly. His "trouble radar" was going off like mad.

"I don't know."

Emma moved forward so that she could hear more of the conversation.

"When you locked up for the night both the lion and tiger were accounted for?" Detective Carlyle asked.

"Yes sir. But this morning...both were gone."

"Didja hear that...one a the tigers n'lions are missing!" Regina whispered to the others.

"Where could they go, without being seen?" Rumple mused. "Maybe somebody stole 'em?"

"Eww what if somebody stole em for their coats. Need to 'vestigate, " Belle insisted.

Rumple sighed. "An' how we gonna do that, dearie? You know how Emma n' Bae are 'bout us doin' that."

"Jus gotta be careful," the little librarian said with a smile.

“Hey Rumple, you think maybe you can make those cones tell us what they’re sayin?” Killian asked him. 

“They’s ‘sposta protect us from the black goo mind readin aliens,” Rumple reminded him. “An Bae doesn’t like us usin magic in public.” 

“So do it where he can’t see it,” Regina stepped in front of him along with Belle and Killian. “You make em an we’ll make sure Bae doesn’t see.” 

“Guys, what’re you doing?” Henry asked. 

“Some ‘vestigatin. You’re the lookout!” Regina informed him. 

“Why do I have to be the lookout?” 

“Cause I said so, that’s why!” 

Henry threw up his hands in defeat. When his mother was determined to do something, she just did it no matter what age she was. Even his curiosity had been aroused hearing about the missing animals in the park and his and Rumple's eerie encounter with the toy shop owner was too much of a coincidence. Something wasn't right in the Magical Kingdom and it was up to them to find out what it was. The novice sorcerer was beginning to suspect there was some form of dark magic at work.

Rumple finished the hats, disguising them so that they looked like they were made of newspaper and passed them out to everyone. As soon as they put them on they could hear the conversation between the park employee, Bae, Emma and the detective who was trying to reassure the couple that they had nothing to be worried about. Bae pulled him aside. 

“Don’t give me that. I saw the stories in the paper about the dead bodies and the missing kids! What the hell are you doing about it?” 

“We’re working around the clock, Mr. Gold,” Carlyle assured him. The last thing he needed was a civilian involving himself in a police investigation. All it would do was put him and his family at risk or spook the killer enough to leave town before being captured. 

“Whoa...people gettin killed an kids missing! I bet that creepy toy guy is doin that!” Rumple exclaimed. “Henry we gotta tell that ‘tective so’s he checks him out!” 

“Good idea.” Henry walked over to the two men. “Dad, what’s going on?” he asked nonchalantly, his eyes never leaving his grandparents, brother and mother. 

“Nothing...what is that on your head?” Bae scowled. What were those kids up to now? 

“Just some hats Rumple made,” he answered. 

“I did something like that when I was a lad,” Detective Carlyle laughed. 

“Henry, this is Detective Carlyle.” 

The two of them shook hands. “Dad, did you tell him about that guy creeping me and Rumple out in the bathroom earlier?” 

Carlyle frowned. “You saw something suspicious, lad?” 

“Yeah.” Henry proceeded to tell him what he and Rumple experienced, leaving out anything having to do with magic but what he recounted was enough to make the detective angry. 

“I’ll certainly look into it, Henry. Thank you.” 

“Please do. He terrified Rumple,” Emma said and the couple returned to where the kids were waiting. They decided to finish their tour of the Animal Kingdom then head back to the hotel since Emma was starting to feel tired. When they got back there was a note from Archie telling them he and Pongo were at Selene’s house for dinner. 

“Good. Now we can find out if she’s good ‘nough for Archie and hopefully that cop’s gonna take the creepy toy guy to jail!” Belle said angrily. 

 

Archie was nervous when they pulled into the driveway of Selene’s apartment building. She’d only told him a few minutes earlier that her mother was going to be joining them. he was already worried about messing up being alone with her but now he had to make a good impression on her mother too. Thankfully Pongo was with him to provide some comfort but he knew Pongo would be too distracted by Selene’s dog to worry about him. 

Cricket, you’re on your own. Try not to screw up this time.   
His last date ended with him having to pay an expensive dry cleaning bill for spilling wine on his date’s dress because his hands were shaking. 

Pongo heard another Dalmatian barking when Selene turned the key in the lock and found himself nose to nose with a beautiful female. 

Who are you? she barked at him. 

My name is Pongo. I’m here with my human, he barked back. 

My name is Perdy. She sniffed him. I’ll warn you though...you and your human make my mistress unhappy and I’ll bite holes in both your backsides!

You don’t need to worry about that. My human is a good man. He’s just looking for a mate. 

Perdy snorted. So I suppose that means you are too, eh?   
Well…

Never mind. Perdy circled around Archie and sniffed his hand when he held it out for her and patted her head. All right Pongo, your human seems fine. 

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she Pongo?” Archie whispered to his pet. 

“Woof!” 

“He’s been wonderful so far Perdy,” Selene was saying to hers. “And Pongo is so much like you. I think you’ll like him too, don’t you?” 

Perdy didn’t answer. She simply sat back and observed her mistress’s date and his dog interacting with each other pleased to see that they shared as close a bond as she and Selene did. 

“Selene! Darling…..open the door!” they heard a female voice screech from the other side. Perdy growled. 

Who strangled the cat? Pongo asked her. 

Your human seems nice enough but let’s see how he handles the real test….her!

Who is she? Selene’s mother? 

Yes. 

I take it you don’t get along? 

Find out for yourself. 

Archie wiped his sweating hands on his pants when Selene opened the door to admit a tall silver haired woman in her seventies with shopping bags draped over her arms and wearing so much jewelery she could’ve opened her own shop. She stopped in her tracks when she saw him. 

“Well, he doesn’t look like a fugitive from the fashion police now, does he?” she asked. 

“Mum!” Selene cried. 

“You must be Mrs. Paddington. I’m Archie Hopper.” Archie held out his hand. Instead of shaking it, the woman put her holder with a lit cigarette in it. 

"Be a love and hold that for me would you?"

Archie grimaced, trying not to cough as the smoke filled his nostrils. He despised cigarettes and didn't allow anyone to smoke around him, even Geppetto. His friend had to go outside when he needed a smoke break.

"Mum, dammit!" Selene snatched the cigarette holder out of his hand and thrust it back at her mother. "Don't be difficult!"

See what I mean? Perdy said to Pongo. She does this to every man Selene brings home. Behaves atrociously and never gives them a moment alone.

Reminds me of some of Archie’s previous dates. They didn’t have mothers that were difficult, they were difficult. 

Archie sat down on the sofa while Selene excused herself to talk to her mother in the kitchen. He was surprised when both dogs jumped up to sit with him. Pongo put his head in Archie’s lap while Perdy was content to have him give her back a scratch and she was pleased when he found just the right spot. 

That was how Selene found them when she returned to the living room. 

“Mother’s going to cook tonight,” she said. “I apologize, Archie. She can be a bit….eccentric.” 

“Oh, it’s all right.” 

Perdy moved to make a place for her mistress to sit beside him. 

So does my human pass your test, Perdy? 

If he stays around, yes. 

In the kitchen, Carla Paddington...it had been years since she was able to call herself Cruella De Vil, smiled deviously. She may have overplayed her hand a bit but the fool was still sticking around along with his mutt. She would have to be a bit more charming in the future if she wanted him to bring those children to them.

Archie was used to difficult people. He had a least a dozen patients who were and there was no one he deemed more difficult than the old Regina. He was grateful she wasn’t like that anymore but in spite of her mother’s antics, he did enjoy spending the evening with Selene and Perdy. After dinner humans and dogs sat on the sofa again to watch a movie while Carla read a fashion magazine but in her mind she was sketching a new puppy coat. She only hoped she didn’t have to wait too long for those mutts to produce the material she needed. 

“I had a wonderful time,” Archie said to Selene when she dropped him off at the hotel later that evening. 

“I’m sorry about Mum…” 

“It’s fine. My parents were a bit…difficult too.” 

“I only work a short shift tomorrow. Maybe we could have lunch?” Selene suggested. 

“I’d like that. Goodbye Perdy.” He waved to the Dalmatian poking her head out the window of Selene’s car. 

“Woof!” 

Pongo raced over to the car and jumped up, rubbing noses with the other Dalmatian then licked the side of her face. Their owners laughed. 

“Kissing on the first date, Pongo?” Archie teased. 

“Woof!” 

Unlike you slow humans, we dogs know who our mates are right away. 

“I’ll meet you at the entrance around eleven,” Selene said softly. 

 

“Good night, Selene,” Archie murmured and led Pongo back into the hotel unaware that four little children had been watching them from the balcony. 

“Awww! Why didn’t he kiss her?” Belle complained.

“Cause you can’t on a first date,” Rumple told her. 

“Pongo kissed Perdy so that means Selene’s cool!” Killian was grinning. 

“Let’s see what Pongo tells us first,” Regina reminded them. 

The children made a mad dash for their beds before Archie returned to the room but Pongo, sensing Rumple was still awake sought him out in the room he shared with Killian to give him a full report on the evening, not liking what he was hearing about Selene’s mother one bit. The dog sensed there was something about her that endangered both his human and Perdy’s.


	4. Tense Confrontations and Shocking Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rasputin and Cruella's backstories and sinister motives are revealed. Detective Carlyle interrogates Rasputin. The family spends another fun filled day at the park and Pongo and Perdy warn Rumple to be wary of Selene's mother. The hunt for a killer becomes personal for Carlyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter mentions intended child abuse and violence!

4  
~ Tense Confrontations and Shocking Revelations ~

 

Early the following morning Detective Carlyle drove out to the park to speak with the owner of the toy shop and then he was going to run his name through the system and see if he was on any of the sex offender lists.

First he stopped by the hotel to speak to Henry and the younger child named Rumple to hear the entire story of what happened in the bathroom the previous day.

Bae called the two out of the room and they sat down in the lounge with some milk and donuts, which made the detective smirk, and Henry said, "Do you wanna question us some more sir?"

"Yes but I'd like your father to stay here too so you're a bit more comfortable."

Bae had Rumple on his lap, the little boy was holding a carton of chocolate milk with a straw in one hand and eating a chocolate donut.

Carlyle smiled at the boy, he reminded him of his own son. "Rumple, can you tell me a bit more about what happened yesterday?"

The child finished his bite of donut before saying, "I went with Henry to go potty and we met the creepy toy man in the bathroom. He kept LOOKING at me . . .like he wanted to . . umm . . .do something nasty to me." The boy's hand clenched on his milk carton. "I didn't like it."

"Did he say anything inappropriate to you?"

The boy shook his head. "Umm . . .no but he was looking at my butt . . like he wanted to see me without my pants on or something. I called him a pervert and he said I had no manners and somebody needed to teach me some."

Carlyle's eyes narrowed to slits. He despised rapists and child molesters more than any other criminals and were he not an officer of the law, the punishments he had in mind for them would be more severe than long prison terms. They would be missing the part of their anatomy they thought with and it wasn't their heads.

Rumple went on without prompting. "He scared me . ..really bad. He made me feel gross . . like there was scum all over me . . ."

"He didn't try to touch you, did he?" the detective inquired gently.

Rumple shook his head. "Woulda kicked his nuts in if he did, but Henry wouldn't let him. He picked me up and told him to cool it, and we were going to find Mom and Dad."

"That's good. You didn't want to stay and get hurt."

"No, sir. He . . .he was evil . . .just like . . ." he bit his lip before he said he was just like his papa, Peter Pan. " . . .like those people who sell little kids to other bad people." he amended.

"Well don't you worry, lad. I'll make sure no one hurts you, okay?" Carlyle ruffled the boy's hair. "You remind me of my boy."

Rumple smiled. "What's his name? Do you got more n'one kid?"

He smiled. "I have a lad and a lass. My boy's name is Robert and my daughter's name is Anne."

"How old are they?" Rumple asked.

"Robert is four and Anne is six."

"That's most as old as me," Rumple said, pleased. "I'm three-and-a-half."

"Going on thirty-three and-a-half" Bae chuckled.

Carlyle chuckled. "No harm in being a wee bit wise for his age."

"Sometimes he's too smart, right, buddy?" Bae said, and hugged Rumple.

"So are all kids and we just have to keep up with them."

"Some days I think they run me over," Bae said ruefully. "And I swear my papa had the patience of a saint with me."

"So did mine. I was a bit wild."

"Me too. Wild and with a smart mouth," Bae admitted, his eyes twinkling.

"I said words I shouldn't have at a young age but I grew up around factory workers who cursed all the time."

Rumple's eyes widened. "I get soap if I say bad words. Like ones from bad video games and stuff."

Carlyle made a face. "I used to get that too."

"It's 'sgusting," Rumple commiserated. "You get Ivory or Dove?"

"Neither. I don't remember the name of it but it tasted awful."

"I know the feeling," Bae said. "My other son has a worse mouth than Rumple."

"And he doesn't mean me," Henry said quickly. "It's my little brother Killian he's talking about."

"Oh? How is that?"

"He repeats EVERYTHING he hears on TV and the radio," Henry sighed. "Sometimes he's really funny but other times . . ."

"I'm about to be driven up a wall." Bae said.

"Or to drink. You said you wanted a drink on the way to the park yesterday," Rumple reminded him.

Carlyle laughed. "Sounds like my kids."

Bae looked like he wanted to die. "See that's what I'm talking about."

Carlyle closed his notepad and tucked it into the pocket of his shirt. "I wish I could stay and chat a while but I need to find out more about this man you encountered at the park. He won't be bothering you again; I can assure you of that."

"Are you gonna arrest him and chuck him in a cell with someone named Bubba?" Rumple queried.

"Oh my God!" Bae groaned.

"Ummm.....I'd like to lad."

"Cool!" Rumple looke delighted. he held out a hand for a hi-five.

Carlyle hi fived him back, feeling like he was at home with Robert.

"Bye!" the boy waved as the detective left. Then he said to Bae, "Can I have another chocolate donut?"

"Rumple, you have any more sugar and you're gonna become a chocolate donut," Bae laughed.

Emma shuffled into the room. "I really can't wait to have this kid," she mumbled, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"I'm sure the baby can't wait to meet her mama and papa either," Bae remarked, getting himself another cup of coffee.

"She's getting impatient, kicked the hell outta me this morning. I barely got any sleep."

Rumple walked over and put his hand on Emma's tummy. "Hey, babydoll, you gotta learn to hurry up and wait, 'kay?" He looked at Emma. "And you gotta pick out a name for her 'fore she's born and she thinks her name's babydoll."

Emma smiled. "Well, you're the expert on names. What do you suggest?"

"I gotta think 'bout it," he said seriously. "Cause she's gotta live with it, so it can’t be somethin' dumb like Candy Apple or somethin'."

"Who the hell names their kid Candy Apple!"

"Some of these big shot pop stars n' actresses," he told her.

Emma scowled. "Idiots. I pity the poor kids having to live with names like that. I'd be changing it once I turned eighteen."

"Me too," Rumple said. "Do you have a preference with what letter it starts with?"

"Not really."

She knew with her father-in-law choosing it, it would have some sort of special meaning.

The little boy sat at the table, his fingers steepled. This would be a special baby and she would need a special name.

"You still have a little time to think on it," Emma assured him with a smile.

"I know." He assured her. And he would be thinking hard all the way to the park this morning.

Belle, Killian and Regina came into the room with Archie and Pongo trailing behind them. Archie poured himself a cup of coffee and set out some food and water for Pongo while the girls munched on doughnuts and drank their chocolate milk.  
"What're we gonna do today?" Belle asked.

"I wanna see the Evil Queen," Regina said.

"I wanna go on the Jungle Cruise," Killian said.

"I wanna go on Space Mountain," Henry added.

"I wanna see Ariel cause Belle's a 'sgrace to the Belle name," Belle said bitterly.

Rumple looked up from the table. "I wanna see 'tective Carlyle arrest the creepy toy man and send him up the river with sixty years to life."

"He gonna toss him in a cell with a big guy named Bubba to be his bitch?" Killian asked.

"Killian! Shall I find the Ivory!" Emma cried. 

The little pirate clapped his hands over his mouth and shook his head. "Uh-uh!"

Regina conjured a bottle with black liquid in it. "How 'bout this?"

"It's the black goo!" Killian screamed and ran out of the room.

"Regina, didja havta do that!" Belle sighed.

"It was a joke!"

"Now he's prolly hidin' under the bed and not gonna come out cause he thinks the black goo aliens are gonna come an get him. Good job!"

Regina sighed. "Okay . . .hey, Killian, you can come out, I was just kidding!"

"They're gonna get meeeeee!" they heard the toddler yell.

Rumple slid off his chair and called, "No they're not, dearie, cause you got your necklace, 'member?"

"You sure?"

"Course I'm sure! You trust me, don'tcha?"

"Uh-huh cause you don't lie to me."

The little pirate poked his head out from behind their bedroom door.

Rumple held out the necklace.

Killian hung it around his neck and hugged his friend. "Thanks buddy. I don't wanna have no nasty alien babies or one getting in my head makin me do bad stuff."

"I'd never let that happen," Rumple reassured him. "Those aliens can kiss my butt!"

"Ewww...they'd try to eat ya first!"

"You know what I mean." Rumple smirked. "C'mon, let's go have another donut before they're all eaten."

"Uh-huh cause I don't wanna eat nothin but chocolate ones. The others suck."

"I like the chocolate best but the powdered cinnamon are okay too," Rumple said.

Emma and Bae smiled as they watched their son and Rumple together, a sight they would have thought impossible a while ago but now they loved every minute of it.

There was only one chocolate doughnut left in the box. Both boys reached for it.

"You can have it if you want Rumple," Killian said, pulling his hand back.

"No, we can share it," and Rumple broke it in half and handed one half to his friend.

"Thanks Rumple!"

"Anytime, dearie!" He bit into his, smiling sweetly.

"Hey Archie, you gonna come with us or do ya have a hot date today?" Regina asked.

"Umm...I said I'd meet Selene for lunch..."

"Ooh! And are you gonna eat oysters?" Rumple asked, giving him a mischievous grin.

"What?"

Archie cast a confused glance in Bae and Emma's direction, wondering just what the little sorcerer was implying.

"Cause oysters are food for lovers," he teased.

"Ummm....she didn't say anything about going to a seafood place..."

"You gonna kiss her this time or are ya gonna wait a hundred years?" Belle demanded.

"Belle, we've only been on one date!" he protested.

"But now that you have, you can move to first base," Rumple pointed out blithely.

"W....What!?"

Henry started laughing so hard he almost had milk coming out of his nose. "Oh . . God! It's Toddler Dating Advice 101!"

"I can see paradise by the dashboard light!" Killian sang.

Emma poked her husband. "Nice going, Bae! You and Meatloaf ought to have a date with the couch!"

"Do I even want to know what that song's about?' Archie asked them.

"Umm...Archie....it's kinda obvious...s'bout tryin to get to home plate in a car," the little pirate replied. '

Emma facepalmed herself. "Heaven help me!" Then she hit Bae with a magazine. "Gold, you are in SO much trouble!"

"What kind of man does...never mind!" the therapist grumbled.

"Guess ya didn't hide the Ipod playlist good 'nough Bae," Belle said with a smirk.

"I'm changing my password again," Bae grumbled.

"What, you got a playlist for dirty songs Bae?" his father accused.

"No, I have a playlist for songs that are for adult ears only and not little kids," his son replied defensively. "I don't listen to stuff with curse words or other things in it like Eminem and a lot of the rap songs. But some of what I listen to is inappropriate for little ears."

"And I'd like to know how you know what these so called bases are?" Archie demanded of Rumple.

His adult self didn't seem like the type.

The attorney squirmed. "Umm . . .it was on a movie I saw."

"An ya need to know what they are," Killian added.

"YOU don't!" Emma groaned. "Because you're gonna get yourself kicked out of preschool and me arrested!"

"I'll have that discussion with your father, Killian."

Killian smirked. "Well ya know you score at home plate."

"Boy is he gonna get it," Regina mumbled to Belle.

"Okay, that's enough, mister!" Bae interjected. "This discussion is OVER. Or would you like a date with a corner and my hand?"

Killian covered his bottom. "But Matt was talking about it....

"What have I told you about other people?"

"Ummm...not to listen to what they say..."

"Then please follow that. Or else!"

"M'sorry Dad....you're not gonna unadopt me are ya?" he asked worriedly. 

"Never! I love you, kiddo, even when you make me want to rip out my hair," Bae said, and ruffled Killian's hair.

"Wanna go to the park now!" Belle begged.

"All right, let's get in the car," Emma said. "Before I need to use the bathroom again because the babydoll's doing jumping jacks on my bladder."

"Aria," Rumple corrected.

Emma looked at him. "What?"

"Her name. Aria."

"What's it mean?" she asked, knowing there had to be a reason why he'd chosen it.

"S'got several meanings but the one is 'telligence of an eagle," he explained.

"Or a melody," Belle added.

"Uh-huh an they's 'sposta inspire others to higher causes...ya know like you...a savior."

Emma blushed. "I like that, Rumple." She cupped a hand over her belly. "What do you think?" In answer, the baby kicked her.

Rumple beamed and placed his own hand on Emma's belly. "What'cha think Aria? You gonna be like your mama an go round savin people n'stuff?"

The baby poked a hand at him.

"Oooo can I feel too, Emma?" Belle gave her a puppy dog look.

"Go ahead. She's awake now so might as well."

The little girl felt something small poking at her hand. "That her foot or her hand, Emma?"

"Umm . . .I think it's her other hand."

"Wow. Does it hurt when she does that?"

"Uh . . sometimes when she pokes me somewhere sensitive, like my bladder or my ribs, but mostly no."

"And makes ya pee a lot?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah because she's squeezing my bladder cause she's getting bigger and putting pressure on it."

"M'gonna have lotsa kids when I get big."

"I'm sure you will . . .and you'll get used this." Emma laughed.

As they did every day, they went to the park before it opened, unaware that Detective Carlyle was already there and about to interrogate Grigori Putin.

Rasputin had opened up his shop for the day, hoping to scout out new candidates.

Carlyle's feelings mirrored those of the little Gold boy the moment he stepped through the door of the toy shop. His inquiries into the man's background were still running through the system but he wasn't going to take the chance of waiting for them to come back before he questioned the man. Not when children were disappearing.

Rasputin looked up as the detective entered his shop. He knew who he was, and he didn't like the smaller man at all, feeling he poked his nose where he had no business. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked with an oily smile.

Carlyle reached into his shirt pocket and displayed his badge. "I'm detective Nicholas Carlyle, Orlando Police Department. I'd like to ask you a few questions Mr. Putin."

"What for? I haven't broken any of your laws," Rasputin said stiffly.

"Then can you explain to me what happened in the restroom yesterday?"

"Nothing!" he snapped. "A little brat was rude to me."

"You deny you were looking at him in an inappropriate way?" the detective asked angrily.

"What way? I was looking at him briefly, that's all."

Carlyle wasn't the kind to beat around the bush. He got right to the point and it was why every case he worked on ended with a conviction. He knew a liar when he saw one and the shop owner was lying through his teeth.

"Where were you looking?"

"Just looking," Rasputin insisted. The man couldn't prove a damn thing. "And the brat called me a rude name and asked if I'd ever been in jail!"

"You haven't answered my question Mr. Putin. I said WHERE were you looking?"

"At the boy's leg. He used a cane, I was curious about how badly he was crippled."

"That's not what he and his older brother have told me. Try again." the detective challenged.

"They lie!" growled the toy shop owner. "Whatever they told you was a lie!"

"Was it?" A text came through on Carlyle's phone from the station. "Just a few more questions Mr. Putin. You wouldn't happen to have your current visa handy would you?"

"Uh . . .I . . .I'm not sure . . " he hedged.

"You're not sure? Do you HAVE one?"

"Yes, of course!" he said swiftly, and cursed this country's love of identification.

"You might want to locate it before I have to make a few calls."

Gritting his teeth, Rasputin went into his office and located the silly card that Cruella had provided him with, cursing the detective and wishing him eaten alive by demons.

He returned with it and said, "Here. See?"

Nick smiled to himself, relishing the thought of putting the fear of God into the man, making him feel as uncomfortable as he made the little Gold boy feel. He had no doubt the boy spoke the truth. He studied the card, if it was fake, it was a damned good one.

"Just a few more questions....can you tell me how you are able to operate a business here in the park? I've been told people avoid it."

"My business is very exclusive . . .I sell collectors items and rare toys. My clients are special ones . . .and so are their children."

"How special is that?"

"I sell to those who want an original toy that they can purchase nowhere else, not these cheap mass produced things the rest of my competition sells here."

"These shelves look full to me."

"I just restocked them with a new shipment yesterday," Rasputin countered smoothly.

"Oh? You wouldn't happen to have an invoice, would you?"

"Wait here," the toy owner said coldly, then went and printed something off his laptop.

Another message popped up on Nick's phone while he waited for the printout. This one included details from the background checks. Everything seemed to be in order but Nick still wasn't satisfied.

There were still several more inquiries he was waiting on, the one from Interpol would take longer.

He was trying not to rattle the man enough to file a complaint with the department but it was difficult when he couldn't shake the feeling there was more to the Russian immigrant than met the eye.

Rasputin returned with the print out, eyeing the officer with dislike.

Nick folded it up and placed it in his pocket. "Thank you for your time. I may need to speak to you again, Mr. Putin."

Hopefully the next time I'll have a warrant for your arrest, you bastard, he thought angrily.

"You are most welcome, sir. Have a nice day," the shop owner purred, longing to slam the door on the slender man.

He glared icily at the detective and wished he could make the man scream as he ripped out his soul and fed it to his bottle imps.

A crow flew through the open window.

The shades were quickly pulled down and the crow shifted into Cruella. "Well, it looks like someone's had a bad day."

"Shut up! That nosy bastard was snooping around here, asking me questions like the damned KGB!"

"You invite that kind of attention with your behavior. How many times have I told you that?"

"He was put up to it by those little brats I met the other day! How I wish I could have silenced them!

"Dammit, the full moon is in two weeks. Do you think you can practice some self control until then?" she hissed.

He glared at her. "Unlike you, I don't have the luxury of hunting as I please!" He licked his lips. "That one little piece of ass would have satisfied me . . .his aura was ripe for the taking and so was his body."

Cruella rolled her eyes. "Go visit the red light district and for God's sake, use an illusion spell or put a bag over your head."

"I can be discreet--skinwalker!" hissed the old sorcerer angrily.

"So can I. Now I'm having a bit more luck. Selene is having her second date with that idiot she met on the computer...and the family trusts him. All I have to do is play the part of a charming old lady and the children will walk right into my hands."

"You can have the other three-I want the crippled mage for myself!" Rasputin bargained.

Taking that one's soul would keep him young for years, such was the strength of it.

"Of course you would want the most powerful one. Ah well...be my guest. But you need to change your behavior a bit before the full moon or you're going to have to stay in that old body."

"I can wait. And after I eat the young one's soul I shall be as I was in my youth-strong, handsome, and irresistible!"

Cruella snorted. "So much so they poisoned you, shot you and tried to drown you?"

Rasputin was what was known among his dark kin as a Soul Eater, he used the souls of children, since they were the most potent, to extend his life span and grant him extraordinary powers beyond those he already possessed.

"That was a misunderstanding."

"Oh was it? Not according to the Russians."

"They failed to comprehend my greatness . . .and I made them pay for it! Who do you think let Lenin's army into the palace? And assured them the royal family couldn't escape?"

"You had a family of souls you could've taken. Why didn't you? They would have sustained you. Instead you let them be riddled with bullets and tossed in unmarked graves."

She knew the answer but she wanted to hear him say it.

Rasputin thought back to the last days of Czarist Russia, his influence with the royal family dwindling and the people calling for his head.

The Mad Monk they called him. The empress's illicit lover and dozens of other names.

The royal family owed him EVERYTHING! Yet they failed to protect him when the traitors came for him. 

They now lay in the ground rotting while he had discovered the path to immortality.

Revenge had never tasted sweeter.

And it would taste even better when he took the souls of the four children, especially the wise ass crippled one, who reminded him a bit of the Tsarevich Alexei.

"Revenge is sweet, isn't it?" Cruella purred. "However, my approach was a bit more....devastating...one that lasts to this day."

Rasputin poured himself a shot of very old Russian vodka and drank it. "Tell me about it, darling."

She smiled. "Poor Anita and Roger....all these years...thinking their precious little girl is dead."

Rasputin smirked. "You play the game well."

She poured herself a glass and tapped it agasint his. "Selene remembers nothing about the first five years of her life due to a spell I used."

For all she knew Carla Paddington was her mother.

She'd tried, oh how she'd tried to make the silly girl be more like her but Selene still behaved more like her foolish birth parents that it was irritating.

She'd taken every precaution to ensure that Selene never discovered her 'mother' was 'Cruella the Butcher' as the papers called her in Suffolk, her home town in England. Anita Dearly, the woman she considered her friend was the one who turned her in to the police.

She escaped five years later with the help of two imbeciles named Horace and Jasper who broke into the Dearly home, killed the girl's nanny and took the child to Cruella. Cruella had already been studying witchcraft and magic and learned several spells, one of them to alter memories.

Cruella travelled the globe to every place she could to enhance her knowledge of the dark arts but her favorite lessons came during a stay on a Navajo reservation twenty years earlier.

"Too bad those idiots you duped will never know the truth," Rasputin sneered. "Be fun to watch them squirm. As it is, that damned Cossack officer is getting too close to us. We need to get him to back off."

Cruella took a cigarette out of a gold case and placed it in her elegant holder. "Leave that to me."

"I'd like to have his balls on a plate!" the other spat. He had always hated policemen.

"And that, dear is why you can't go out in public. Too tempermental. A distraction is what this meddling officer needs."

"What do you plan to do--shag him in his hotel room?" Rasputin snickered.

She snorted. "He's too short. No, one of his friends has been staking out my haunts....it's time we met."

"Ahh . ..it's always so heartbreaking when you lose a best friend suddenly," the other laughed. "I love the way your mind works, Cruella!"

"Like I said...revenge is sweeter when it has a lifetime effect."

"Hmm . . yes, long term is good, though I'm a bit impatient," he admitted. It was one of his worst flaws.

"You need to learn patience...unless you want to join the Romanovs in the ground."

She had a soul in reserve for that night's hunting.

"Never going to happen," he disagreed. "I am almost immortal, a drinker of souls, and once I get these children's, I shall be unstoppable. Especially the little cripple's." He licked his lips. "He's enough to feed me for centuries . . .and perhaps before I suck him dry I'll have a bit of pleasure with him too." For that was his other great weakness.

Cruella scowled. "Surely someone more...experienced would be better for that."

She could think of half a dozen candidates at the clubs she stalked who would do.

'I like them young . . .despoiling innocence is so refreshing!" he rubbed his hands together. "Plus you know what a virgin mage's power can give you. There's nothing like it."

"There's just one little catch..." she said, waving her cigarette holder. "If he IS an adult in child form....you won't have a virgin mage now will you?"

Rasputin cursed in Russian. He had forgotten that little detail. But then he rallied. "No matter. I shall have my pound of flesh and magic."

"See, there are benefits to having me around."

"Yes . . . likewise for having ME around."

He'd been the one to teach her how to mantain her own youthful appearance when she needed it with the souls of the innocent.

And his business supplied innocents on a daily basis--almost--for their needs.

"Now you try to behave and leave our little police problem to me."

"Have a good time," he barked a laugh, thinking his own evening would be spent on certain sites on the internet . . .at least this modern era's technology was useful for something.

Cruella rolled her eyes. Pornography, lowering the IQs of men everywhere, she thought.

Selene was waiting with Perdy in the parking lot when the family drove in.

"Are you ready to meet Archie's friends?" she asked the Dalmatian.

"Woof!"

Thankfully her mother was at her book club meeting.

"Hey lookit Selene has Perdy with her Rumple!" Belle cried shaking his shoulder.

He didn't tell the others about his discussion with Pongo yet. He wanted to hear Perdy's side of the story first.

She wasn't going to have much time to talk. Selene and Archie had their own plans for the day but he had no idea where they were going.

The kids were out of the car faster than Bae and Emma could blink and ran over to pet Perdy.

The Dalmatian took to the human pups right away especially Rumple. Pongo already told her the little sorcerer could communicate with them and she sensed it the moment she saw him.

Hello. I'm Rumplestiltskin, he sent to her.

Hello little pup ...you don't mind if I call you that do you?

No. I don't mind. You sound nice, he smiled at her as he stroked her fur.

I try to be unless you upset my mistress. Then I can be quite cross. Like that mother of hers, the dog added bitterly.

Is she a bad person? Rumple wanted to know. Pongo didn't like her either.

She makes my mistress unhappy though Selene doesn't show it.

Oh, Rumple sighed. My real papa was like that. He hurt me and made me pretend everything was fine, only it wasn't, and I had ta hide it or else he'd whip me worse. The child's eyes swam with sudden tears at the horrible memories of his past with Peter Pan.

She doesn't hit Selene, it's what she says....that she'll never find a good man because she's too plain, she doesn't have a good job. .things like that.

Rumple scowled. That's like hitting, only with words.

Precisely. And she pokes fun at Pongo's human...calls him a fugitive from the fashion police. The Dalmatian growled. And she tried to smoke around him and Pongo tells me he doesn't want people smoking around him.

Smoking's nasty! Gets you sick with lung cancer, Rumple wrinkled his nose. And you smell like crap.

But...what concerns me the most is the late hours she keeps for someone her age. Selene does not stay out late but her mother does...and it is not going to book club meetings. I want Selene to marry Pongo's human and hope Carla will leave her in peace.

They heard a car horn behind then. Perdy barked angrily. Damn her! Why is she here? You will see for yourself now what I mean little pup.

Cruella sauntered over to them, blowing smoke rings from her cigarette.

Rumple backed up, coughing. "You shouldn't smoke round kids! It's bad for us!" His eyes were stinging and burning. He rubbed them.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie...here Albert... hold this." She handed the cigarette holder to Archie. He coughed.

"Mum! It's Archie!" Selene snapped.

He took the cigarette out and stomped on it.

Emma was coughing too and one hand was on her stomach. She looked rather green.

"Mrs Paddington, do you mind?" he asked angrily.

Bae shot her a Look. "You okay?" he asked his wife softly. He knew Emma's tomach had a low tolerance for certain things--like cigarettes, the smell of greasy food, even broccoli cooking or hardboiled eggs made her throw up.

"Oh, relax Allan I was going to put it out!"

Belle put her hands on her hips and said, "You shouldn't smoke round women havin' babies, it;s bad for the baby an' the mama." Her tone said don't you know ANYTHING?

"I'm terribly sorry. I forget sometimes....old age."

Archie shook his head. Selene was mortified.

Emma moved away, gulping breaths of fresh air and hoping to stave off an attack of nausea.

Bae hovered and watched, concerned, but knowing his wife didn't want to be treated like a china doll, he didn't hug her. "Breathe, hon," he called helpfully.

"Mum, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for lunch of course!"

See what I mean! Perdy sent to Rumple. Selene wanted to be alone with Archie today!

Rumple winked at the dog. Not for long! He knew he wasn't supposed to use magic, but he also knew the last thing they needed was THIS woman interrupting them and their time together.

Emma had rejoined them, feeling her nausea abate and not wanting to seem like a lily livered vaporish female, when Rumple nudged Aria awake and "encouraged" her to jump up and down on Emma's already abused stomach.

Poor Emma doubled over and threw up . . .all over Carla Paddington and her $1500 crocodile Gucci shoes.

"Ohhhh!" Cruella screamed and backed away, trying to shake the mess off her shoes.

"Sorry . . ." Emma groaned, feeling like her stomach was going to come up out of her throat.

"Eeeww! She's been puke-trified!" Regina howled, holding her nose.

"What did you expect Mum, I've told you before not everyone enjoys that rubbish you expell from your lungs."

Bae had his arm around his wife now, and murmured, "C'mon, Em let's sit down and I'll get you some ginger ale."

"I'll just pop back to the house to change...." Cruella murmured, trying to hold her temper.

"AND take a bath!" Rumple reminded her, looking disgusted. He silently sent a message to Aria, saying--settle down now, babydoll.

He projected an image of her sucking her thumb to lull her back to sleep.

"I am so sorry about all this. My mum.....she can be... a bit much.. " Selene said nervously after Cruella left.

"S'okay . . .just . . .can't stand . . .stuff like that now . . ." Poor Emma was mortified, and trying not to show it.

Bae returned with a large cup of ginger ale and handed it to her. He was furious at the older woman because Emma had been feeling fine up till then and he didn't like anyone messing with his wife when she was like this.

"She's not coming with us....is she?" Archie asked hopefully.

"No. Because we’re not going where I told her we would."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Reminds me of the mean ole witch in the Wizard of Oz!" Regina grumbled.

Rumple came and leaned against Emma's side, his hand coming around to touch her tummy, healing it from it's recent nausea. He felt bad having to do what he'd done, and was trying to fix it the best he could.

"She's lucky I didn't puke on her cause I woulda got her real good!" Killian said with a smirk.

"Yeah, like you did to Dad that time when you ate too much pizza," Henry recalled, laughing.

"Please, don't remind me!" Bae grimaced.

His son had a habit of stuffing himself and then throwing up . . .or suffering with a bloated tummy.

"I feel terrible about all this," Selene moaned.

"It's not your fault," Belle consoled. "You weren't the one who made Mama sick."

She's always having to apologize for Carla's antics and that's when her dates leave, Perdy sent sadly.

Archie won't Rumple sent back to her. He's not that kind.

Emma ruffled Rumple's hair and murmured, "Thanks, kid," knowing he had healed her. But she continued to sip her ginger ale, just in case. Then she thought of the look on Carla's face and couldn't help cracking up laughing.

Soon Rumple was giggling hysterically, and before long Killian, Henry, Regina, Belle, and Bae had joined in.

"Come on Archie, before she hurries back." Selene said to him.

"Kiss the girl!" Belle sang.

"Next time get her with sketti!" Killian exclaimed.

"Or mud in her eye!" Rumple smirked.

"Have a good time," Bae called to the couple. "Emma, you want to go and lie down?"

"No, I feel okay now," she shook her head. "Why don't I do some of Epcott today with Rumple and Belle while you do the Jungle Cruise with Regina, Henry, and Killian?" She knew that of the four, Belle and Rumple would be most willing to tour the shops and countries there and see the different sights.

"Hope we don't see anymore dummies," Killian complained.

"If you go on It's a Small World you will," Rumple told him.

"Cause they can't always have actors playing parts, too expensive," Henry replied. "But at least we'll be cool on that ride." He mopped sweat off his brow. It was getting hot already.

"They gots ones with water like water slides?" asked Regina.

"We'll see," Bae said. "Where shall we meet?" "Let's meet up at the Beauty and the Beast ballroom," Emma said, since they had reservations to eat one night there in the dining room which was designed especially to look like the movie scene down to the snow on the rose stained glass window.

"Ooh hope we get to see the real Belle an the Beast dance!" Belle cried.

"Yeah but if its that crab lady I'm gonna barf." Killian stuck his tongue out.

"Hey!" Bae cuffed him gently on the back of the head. "Stop it, you're gonna make your mama sick again."

"Sorry Mom..."

Emma smiled at him weakly. "It's okay, just . . .don't be so . . .descriptive about stuff like that." She rose. "C'mon, rugrats,. let's go visit China. Maybe we'll see Mushu and Mulan."

"Mulan kicks butt!"

Emma held out her hands and Rumple took one and Belle took the other and they walked off with Belle and Rumple singing, "I'll Make a Man Out of You."

"Ya think we'll ever go see the real China Rumple?" Belle inquired.

"Maybe. I'd like to when we grow up," he answered as they skipped along the pathway.

"Wanna see the world when I get big."

"Me too," he agreed. Then he pointed to a large kite of a Chinese dragon. "Look! Let's tak a picture in front of that." He pulled free of Emma and stood infront of the dragon with Belle.

"How we gonna get all of us in it?"

Emma paused and asked an elderly lady if she would mind using her phone to take a picture with her kids.

Little did she know it was Cruella in a new form.

"Of course honey. Now stand close together and smile!"

Emma put her arms around Rumple and Belle and smiled happily while the dragon kite snapped and swayed in the breeze.

Cruella snapped a picture and handed the phone back to Emma.

"Such lovely children," she said sweetly.

Such bratty children, she thought. 

She felt the crippled one use his magic before the woman ruined her shoes.

She would have to be careful around that one.

"Thanks," Emma said, and they continued on into the China country, stopping at a vendor selling little jade statues.

"Can we get one?" asked Belle. "I like the one of the funny man reading a book.

"That's Buddha," Emma said, and then asked Rumple, "How about you?"

"The dragon," Rumple said, pointing to the most powerful and magical of the celestial animals.

Emma bought herself a pendant of ivory and red jade with a protective motif in it that Rumple had shown her--he could sense it was magical and would protect her and the baby.

She bought Bae a gold ring with a jade tiger on it, something else Rumple sensed was magical, but unsure of what it did. It defended the wearer by shooting fire at an enemy.

The ancient looking Chinese man selling the items bowed to her and said, "Very wise purchases, madam. Smart boy there." He winked at Rumple.

Little did they know the old man was also a powerful practitioner of the magical arts . . .one who was here only for a day, and he also recognized Rumple's nascent talent.

"Thank you, they're both smart kids," Emma smiled at him, and tucked her purchases away after putting on her pendant. "We can get the others something else in another country," she told them.

By then, Rumple and Belle were hungry, so she stopped at a vendor selling dumplings and egg rolls and got them some pork dumplings and egg rolls with plum sauce and a sweet melon juice. She got herself a small pint of sweet and sour chicken and brown rice.

"Wanna come back again," Belle said.

"We will," Emma assured her. They moved into Ireland, where they found lovely people selling beautiful Irish lace linens and crocheted blankets and Emma saw a very nice fisherman's knit sweater for Henry she purchased for a Christmas gift. She also bought a set of table linens for Regina with claddaghs embroidered on them in gold thread. For the child she was now Emma bought a small Irish knotwork ring with a small garnet in it shaped like a heart.

Rumple picked up one of the blankets and held it up to Emma. "Can we get this for Bae?"

Emma looked at it. It was woven of a smoky violet-blue colored wool with interlocking circles and had dogs and mythical seabeasts woven into it. "That's beautiful, Rumple. Of course you can."

She also thought it would make the perfect gift for Rumple too, child and adult and purchased two of them.

Belle was looking at some woolen berets in different colors. She put a raspberry one on her head. "How's this look?"

Emma smiled. "That looks great honey. Do you want it?"

She nodded. Then she picked up a sky blue one and said, "You'd look good in this one."

"I would?"

"Try it on," the child urged, and Rumple agreed.

"Okay...how do I look now?" Emma asked with a smile as she tried to strike a pose.

"You look gorgeous," Rumple said, imitating a fashion designer.

The blue hat set off her golden hair perfectly.

A sales assistant hurried over and said, "Ma'am, we're having a special on the hats today--buy one and get one half off! And you can also get any of these pewter pins to go on the hat for $5."

She showed Emma a tray with some pretty pewter hat pins-some had claddaghs and some had harps, and some had thistles, and one had a castle.

"Pick out a pin honey and we'll get it and the hats."

She felt the castle suited Belle more than her. Even now she couldn't wrap her head around being a princess when she wasn't raised one.

Sure enough, Belle pointed to it, then said, "You get the thistle, Rumple, it's the flower of Scotland and you can wear it on your tie if we go somewhere fancy for dinner."

Emma giggled. "Are you going to drive the Power Wheels there, Belle?

"I can. I can drive real good now."

"Long as you watch out for stop signs," Rumple teased.

"I do!"

"Only kidding, dearie," he giggled impishly.

"They're adorable!" the sales assistant said. "Children are a great blessing," she said, eyeing Emma's tummy with a smile.

"They keep me on my toes, don't you?"

Both of them nodded. "And the new baby will too," Rumple informed her.

"Are you having a lad or a lass?" asked the sales assistant.

"A girl."

"How lovely! I'm sure she'll be another treasure for you." She reached into the box on the table and took out a blue crystal pendant. She held it out to Emma.

"What's this?" Emma asked.

"Something for you and the baby. A bit of protection."

"Thank you," Emma said, and took it. With the way things happened around her, it never hurt to be prepared.

"The baby's name is gonna be Aria," Rumple told her.

"A beautiful name. Did you choose it honey?"

"Uh huh. Cause she's a special baby so she needs a name that fits her," he told her seriously.

"For sure she'll be a lucky lass with a big strong lad like you to protect her."

She hadn't sensed such a strong aura in a child since she was a young lass herself in the old country.

Rumple beamed. "Nothin's gonna hurt her while I'm around."

"Isn't that the truth!" Emma laughed. "Between him and her daddy and she'll be defended like a queen with an army."

"Oh I have no doubt of that lad."

"Rumple always protects me," Belle put in.

"We always will protect the ones we love at any cost."

"Yes, that's what I believe," Emma agreed.

The lady kneeled down so that she was at eye level with Rumple. "You have a wonderful gift lad...one that the dark forces in this world will seek out but you will sense them before they sense you," she whispered. 

"How do you know? Does your Sight tell you?" he whispered back.

"Yes as will yours in time. For now trust your feelings."

"I will," he assured her. He sensed that here was another practitioner of the Art, like the ancient Chinese man.

She smiled. "A place like this...dedicated to magic yet having none of its own is a safe haven for those of us with the gift."

She gestured to his own pendant. "You have your own protection there....never remove it under any circumstances."

"I don't. Not even in the shower," he assured her. The half-black and half-white star Merlin had given him was always on his person.

"Good lad."

"Be careful," he murmured. "There's something . . .dangerous that's . . .walking around at night . . ."

And one of those was in the toy shop.

"And that man who runs the toy shop is creepy an' scary," he told her.

"If you sense this then you must avoid him."

"Okay," Rumple agreed. He didn't want to come within ten feet of Grigori again.

"Are you guys ready to go?" Emma asked the kids.

"Yeah!" they chorused.

"Where to next?"

"I wanna eat some kaki gori," Belle said, which was Japanese ice.

"Japan it is!"

Once they had paid for everything, and Emma had the blankets sent back to the hotel lobby, but she and Belle wore the hats and Emma her pendant, they went over to Japan.

The line was long at the kaki gori stand, but the kids were patient, since they watched a Japanese mime show in the street while they waited their turn.

"Look it Rumple...its like magic... He's doing stuff without talking!"

Rumple clapped his hands, his eyes sparkling like the carefree child he now was.

"Maybe you can learn how to do that," Belle suggested.

Rumple raised his eyebrows questioningly and gestured to himself. Who me?

The mime pointed at him and smiled.

"See you can do it!"

The little boy blushed, for as a child he had learned to say little yet convey much with a singl glance of his eyes or the expression on his face, and usually that would get him some food from a kind person when Malcolm was drunk.

The mime pointed and gestured for him to join in on his next performance.

Rumple nodded, then looked at Emma questioningly.

Emma smiled and nodded back.

Rumple waited until the mime beckoned to him, then he limped over to him.

Emma started recording them on her phone, happy to see Rumple enjoying himself. 

The boy and the mime "conversed" about various people, including a grumpy old man going by. The mime pretended to hunch his back and limp along and Rumple copied him and they followed the man a little distance away, imitating him much to the delight of the audience.

"They look great together," a woman said.

"He's a natural," Emma said. "He can imitate anyone at home."

She hoped the others were having a good time too. 

By the time Bae and the kids got on the Jungle Cruise, even with their FastPasses, they were hot and sweaty, and Regina and Killian were somewhat cranky.

"Wanna go jump in the water!" Regina grouched.

"We can go in the pool when we get back to the hotel," Bae soothed. "We'll get wet on the ride, kiddo." He was next to Regina and Killian and Henry were in front of them in the boat.

"Hope so....cooking out here!"

"That's Florida," Bae said. "Me, I'd rather be hot than be freezing up in Maine." He hated the cold weather.

"Like the sun just not cookin" said Regina.

"I'm gonna drink a big cherry slushie when we get off," Killian told Henry. "So's I don't hydrate."

"Good idea," Henry agreed.  
The ride started and they glided down a chute and into the wide river shaded by tons of palms and other ferns and tropical plants.

Mist rose from the plants and sprayed them with water.

"Now we're gonna cool off!" Killian cried.

"Feels good!" Regina squealed.

A facsimile of a hippo rose up and shot water at them from its mouth.

"We got spit on by a hippo!" Regina giggled.

Bae grinned and pointed out an elephant and cried, "Hey there's Dumbo!"

The elephant filled its trunk with water and squirted Henry right in the head.

"Ha ha he spit on your head!" Regina teased.

Henry shook his head and said, "Least I don't gotta take a shower now!"

The boat sailed on and they heard macaws and monkeys screeching and then Killian yelled, "Ahhh! Crocodile!"

"Where?" Regina looked around.

He pointed to where a Crocodile was swimming and then it opened its jaws and roared right in front of them.  
"Rrrawwr!"  
Killian jumped in Henry's lap. "It's gonna eat me!"  
"Oh no it won't!" Henry assured him. "I'll zap it if it tries."  
Killian peeked out from behind his hands. "You sure?"

"I'm sure. I'd be a bad brother if I let a crocodile eat my little brother."

He hoped that would put Killian's mind at ease.

Henry would do anything to protect everyone in his family.

Killian went and sat down next to him and said, "I trust you, Henry. Yee hah! Look it's Kaa!" He pointed to where an animated rock python was slithering along a branch.

"If the real one bites ya can ya die?" Regina inquired fearfully.

"No, rock pythons aren't poisonous. They're constrictors. That means they squeeze their prey to death." Bae told her.

"Oughta make it squeeze that creepy toy guy!"

"Or Selene's mom cause she looks kinda mean."

"You see how she had gator stuff...zat means a gator got killed for it," Killian pointed out.

"Ewww prolly wears fox stuff too like Cruella!" cried Regina.

"Archie an Pongo better look out or the old hag will wanna wear Pongo as a coat."

"Like hell," Bae muttered. He already didn't like Selene's mother because of what she had caused with Emma.

"Or she's a black goo alien."

"Nah jus a hag but she better not mess up our operation or we're gonna go Nevengerevil on her butt!"

"I almost feel sorry for her," Bae snorted. "Almost."

"Can't argue with you there," Bae sighed. "But . . . you will be polite to her unless she does something to hurt or insult you."

They sighed. "Okay..."

"Thank you," sighed their father.

"Where to now, Dad?" Henry asked.

"Let's get some Jungle Juice n' funnel cakes!" Killian cried, and pointed to a kiosk selling frozen drinks and fried funnel cakes.

Bae knew he should be the responsible dad and say "after lunch" but he was hungry too and decided for once to just eat dessert first.

After they had all eaten a funnel cake and all gotten souvenir cups of Jungle Juice, which was a tangy fruit juice, Bae found a restaurant that served Disney character lunches--meaning they had food designed for specific Disney characters and Regina begged to go there so she could get the Evil Queen plate.  
"Better have apples or m'gonna be really mad!"

"I'm sure it does," Bae reassured her.

They were shown to a table and handed menus and the kids were given crayons and placemats they could color.

Regina found the Evil Queen plate-which consisted of heart-shaped chicken nuggets in a box, and curly fries and an apple pie for dessert upon a mirror plate. The mirror plate was a free gift and the child was allowed to keep it. The apple pie was served with Snow White ice cream--which was vanilla.

Killian found the Captain Hook special--which consisted of hook-shaped pasta in a cheesy sauce and battered cod strips-because Peter calls Hook a codfish--and his dessert was a "crocodile" brownie sundae, which was a brownie shaped like a crocodile with caramel sauce and chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

Bae decided to have the Beast special, which consisted of a rack of slow smoked ribs, a grilled barbecued burger,, and coleslaw and beastly beans-baked beans with a bit of hot pepper in them and corn on the cob. For dessert there was chocolate cake on a book plate and a pot of tea in a Chip cup.

Henry picked the Merlin platter--which had pineapple glazed chicken and "magic" garlic mashed potatoes, which had bits of colored garlic in them and they made the potatoes appear sprinkled with magic blue, purple, and pink "dust". And Madam Mim's carrots, which were glazed with cinnamon and honey. For dessert there was a Wart cookie trifle, which was a chocolate cookie crumbled into a "stone" cup with chocolate and vanilla pudding and chocolate fudge and whipped cream layered on it, to be eaten with a sword shaped spoon.

The sword spoon, the Beast's book plate, and Hook's "pirate grog" glass-shaped like a hook and the grog was a root beer float, as well as Regina’s mirror plate were all souvenirs that came with the meal.

The little sorceress was already thinking of a way to have her own magic mirror.

Bae was planning on giving his plate to Belle, while Henry was going to give his spoon to Rumple, so each child would have a souvenir to take home.

"We need something for Mom too, " Henry reminded him.

"I know. I'm planning to look in the castle when we go there for dinner, I saw a gift shop by it with some things I thought were pretty," his father said. One of them being a gold bracelet with a crystal swan shaped charm on it. He also bought a set of pajamas for his daughter with little stars on them. He couldn’t wait for the day when he would finally hold her in his arms. 

And this time I’m staying, he thought.

Selene and Archie were having a wonderful afternoon at Lake Eola Park. She often went there when she needed time alone. Pongo and Perdy had never seen their humans more relaxed. It was still early in their relationship but the Dalmatians knew they belonged together. Now they just had to make sure they stayed together once the vacation was over. 

Do you think Selene would go back to Maine? I know it’s nice here…

All the beauty of this city can’t make her happy Pongo. Archie can do that. If she loves him, she’ll go where he goes. He wouldn’t leave Maine to move here, would he? 

No, because of who he is. Anyone found out he is the real Jiminy Cricket….it would cause too much unwanted attention. He’s safe from that in Storybrooke. 

“We should have a park like this back home…and the Golds would love a boat ride or feeding the swans,” Archie said softly. They were sitting in front of the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain eating takeout from the Relax Grill. 

“You should see this at night. It’s lit up with a music show. There’s one tonight if you want to come?” she asked hopefully. 

He smiled. “I’d love to!” 

The two dogs nodded their heads. 

“These two seem to be getting along,” Selene murmured, leaning down to scratch Perdy behind her ears. She didn’t want to think about how brokenhearted her pet would be when Pongo left….or how she would feel when Archie left. 

How is it that a man I’ve only been with for several days can make me feel like we’ve spent a lifetime together? That’s only possible in the movies, not real life. 

How is it that a woman I barely know makes me feel like she’s what I’ve been looking for my whole life? You’re a living fairy tale creature but haven’t you learned by now real life isn’t like the fairy tales? 

“Pongo’s easy to get along with, aren’t you boy?” 

“Woof!” 

“I wish Mum was,” Selene muttered.   
“Has she always been so….difficult?” 

Selene sighed. “Yes. No one I brought home was ever good enough…too poor, too plain…I don’t go for the pretty boy types…probably because they were the ones who bullied me in school.” 

“I can’t say my parents were easy either. They were….con artists,” Archie confessed sadly. “I spent my whole life trying to get away from all that by doing the opposite of what my parents did, helping people instead of hurting them.” 

“I prefer helping animals to humans, that’s why I spend so much time at the shelter.” 

They went to the shelter first before the park and he was able to see for himself Selene’s devotion to the animals kept there. Some of them had been badly abused and neglected but they didn’t shrink away from her and as soon as she walked in the door, all the dogs started barking happily while Pongo introduced Archie to them. He didn’t need to. They all sensed he was a friend to them like their keeper. 

“I hope the Golds don’t mind you spending so much time with me,” Selene said to him after they dropped their pets off at the hotel and she took him back to Disney to meet up with them. 

“No, they’re fine with it. The kids set us up, remember?” 

“I’ll have to thank them properly for that one of these days,” she said and raised her head. Their eyes met. 

I want to kiss him but I don’t want him to think I’m being too forward….

I want to kiss her but I don’t want her to think I’m rushing things…

Selene looked away first. “I’ll pick you up around seven-thirty then?” she asked. 

“I’ll be waiting.” 

“Goodbye Archie.” 

“Goodbye Selene.” 

“Awww! Why didnja kiss her?” Belle demanded when she ran up to him. 

“Belle!” Emma cried. 

Oh, I wanted to, he thought. 

“Cause he don’t wanna rush it Belle,” Rumple said wisely. 

“Yeah well ‘fore we leave here you’re gonna kiss her Archie an you’re gonna make her toes curl or m’gonna smack your butt with a book!” threatened the little librarian. 

Bae facepalmed himself. “I’m sorry Archie. You never know what comes outta their mouths next.” 

“Oh, I’m used to it now.” 

“You gonna have dinner with us at the Ballroom tonight?” Regina asked him. 

“Yes…then Selene’s taking me to Lake Eola to see one of the fountains being lit up. You should go there before we leave Bae. It’s beautiful.” The therapist showed them some pictures he’d taken on his phone. 

“I’d like to go on a boat ride. Can we go there sometime, Dad?” Henry asked. 

“Sure.” 

“Lookit, Mom. There’s swans like you!” Killian cried. 

“I see that.” Emma ruffled his hair. 

“An we gotta see the rest of Disney,” the little pirate reminded her.   
“Cept that creepy toy guy….hope ‘Tective Carlyle puts his sick butt in jail!” Rumple shivered. 

Later that night a young attractive woman walked into an Orlando nightclub, causing all male heads to turn in her direction. She smiled when she spotted her target at the bar snacking on a bag of potato chips and struck up a conversation. 

Detective Brian Neilson had been working the club stakeouts for two weeks but hadn’t had much luck finding the killer. Whoever it was, they perfected the art of blending in. His wife was terrified for him and asked him several times to request a reassignment. She didn’t want to become a widow at twenty-eight and leave their young children fatherless and neither did Brian but he and Nick knew this killer had to be apprehended and Brian was one of the best undercovers they had in the department. It was his youthful good looks that made suspects drop their guard around him. Nick no longer worked undercover assignments but he’d taken Brian under his wing when he started with the department and now their families were the best of friends. 

Once the bar closed, the woman begged Brian to walk her to her car. She didn’t feel safe, she claimed and gentleman that he was, he didn’t have the heart to refuse her. Once they got to her car he turned around and saw not a woman but a lion standing in front of him. The beast leaped and knocked him to the ground. Brian screamed in terror and tried to reach for his gun to no avail. The lion had him pinned to the pavement with its huge paws and lowered its head and buried its fangs in his throat. Even after the young officer breathed his last breath, the beast was not yet finished with him, tearing his corpse to pieces. 

The next morning a distraught Nick Carlyle stood over the remains of his best friend, his fists clenched in silent rage. The department classified the officer’s death as an animal attack and while it looked like one, Nick had his suspicions the killer he was chasing was involved and he didn’t consider it a coincidence that his best friend was murdered right after he’d talked to that toy store owner who terrorized the Gold boys. 

I’ll kill them, he vowed. Whoever it is…I’ll find them and I’ll kill them! 

Back in the toy shop’s basement, Cruella and Rasputin celebrated their latest victory over glasses of Russian vodka.


	5. A Little Bit of Nevenger Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nevengers meet more of the parks Disney characters and give them new insights on the stories they represent, Henry has another terrifying encounter with Rasputin and the family gains a fierce protector in Nick Carlyle. Finally the Nevengers plan an amazing show to inspire Archie to kiss the girl!

5

~ A Little Bit of Nevenger Magic ~

There were still plenty of Disney characters the children wanted to meet and they wanted to dedicate a day at the park looking for them. Even Bae and Emma were curious. Selene had to work so Archie spent the day with the Golds trying desperately to avoid Belle's barrage of questions about how their evening at the park went, more specifically if he kissed Selene or not. He wanted to but he didn't want to rush things either.

"That's it," she grouched to Rumple. "M'gonna ask Bae to take us to that park so's we can see that fountain lit up, go for a boat ride and we're gonna get Archie to kiss Selene!"

Rumple sighed. "Belle, he's gonna get mad if we keep pushin it!"

"But they have true love. You know that an so do I!"

"Yes, dearie but we gotta let 'em figure that out themselves, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know but even a cricket hasta get the girl,"Belle said with a smile.

"I know...we can all sing Kiss The Girl like the crab does in Little Mermaid!" Killian exclaimed.

"Least singin that won't get your butt spanked like that other stuff," Regina teased. Killian stuck his tongue out at her.

"Should be a song 'bout that creepy toy shop guy," Rumple muttered.

"Oh ya mean like keep away, keep away, keep away now?" Killian asked doing an impromptu parody of Give It Away by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

They all laughed. "Yeah somethin like that Killian. Ya got anymore?" Rumple chuckled.

"Mate, I got LOTS more!"

Killian was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he started singing songs making fun of Rasputin. "Ohhh he's sick, he's sick...really really sick!" Killian sang parodying Michael Jackson's Bad.

Up ahead they saw a blinking light and a sign that said This Way To Neverland-follow the fairy!

They all cast nervous glances at each other.

Belle held Rumple's hand tight, fearful the Pan in there was like Rumple's father.

Rumple gripped her hand like a lifeline. He wanted to be brave and show the others there was nothing to fear, since he knew his papa was dead, but he shivered.

"If he's a dick we can run him over in the Justice Mobiles," Regina suggested.

"Yeah and look-!" Killian pointed. "I see the Jolly Roger! Ahoy, mates!" he bellowed and started running down the walkway towards the floating ship.

"Killian Gold you halt right there!" Emma ordered in her sheriff's tone.

"Aww! But Mo-o-om!"

He skidded to a stop.

"No buts...you stay with the adults at all times, understood?"

"Yes'm," he sighed. "But c'mon! Move your butts, there's a sword fight goin' on!"

Emma groaned. "He's gonna make me pop early at this rate." She patted her belly.

"C'mere, little imp," Bae picked him up. "We'll meet you there, Em." Then he jogged down the walkway with Killian on his shoulder.

"Dad, you think Pan's like that jerk who was Rumple's papa?"

"No. This Pan's an actor, remember, and the story of Peter Pan they tell here is way different. In this story, Peter's a good guy."

"Good. 'cause we'd make him Pan Cake otherwise," Killian muttered.

Bae chuckled. Then they stopped and Killian could see that a boy in a green tunic and tights was fighting a man with curly black hair in a red coat . . .with a hook for a hand!

"It's...Hook? Huh! What the heck kinda getup is that?" Killian scowled. The man looked nothing like a pirate.

"That's what they wore in the olden days," Bae smirked. "He's a gentleman pirate, kid."

"No such thing as one a those...Dad...least not like I 'member."

"Well, in this story he is," Bae told him. "Watch."

Peter flew down and smacked Hook's sword out of his hand and cried, "Say it, Hook!" He rested the tip of his rapier at Hook's throat. "I'm a codfish!"

"Bad form!" bawled the pirate. "You flying jungle rat!"

"Should make him say I'm a lamebutt 'scuse for a pirate," Killian grouched.

"I won, fair and square!" Pan chanted. "Now say it!"

"I'm a-cod fish!"

The other children cheered and clapped wildly as Peter tied up Hook and freed Wendy, John, and Michael from the brig and Tink from her cage.

"Douchebag!"

The other Nevengers snickered.

Bae gave his son a Look. "Young man, you are getting an Ivory snack and a time out when we get back to the hotel. And that's a promise!"

"But Da-ad he's a poor 'scuse for a pirate!"

"I don't care, you don't use that language, Mister! How many times must we go through this?" Bae growled. He could feel his hair turning gray on the spot.

Killian bowed his head shamefully. "M'sorry Dad."

"So am I," his exasperated father sighed. Because the last thing he wanted was to punish his son on a vacation. "Now watch your mouth. You weren't raised in a barn."

Kids were now clustering about Peter and shaking his hand and taking pictures with him.

"He seems nice, Rumple. Let's go!" Belle encouraged.

Holding hands, the two children moved into the crowd to wait for their turn to speak with Pan, Killian and Regina behind them. The Nevengers were still on their guard in case he did turn out like Rumple's father.

Finally it was their turn. "Hello!" Peter greeted in a more feminine sounding voice. The children looked at each other.

"Hey, you're not a boy. You's a girl!" Rumple cried.

"Yes I am...my real name is Wendy if you can believe it," she said with a smile.

"So why're you playin Peter? Why don'cha play Wendy?" Regina demanded.

"Because Peter Pan is my favorite character in the stories."

"An' girls can play boys when they's acting. They do it all the time now," argued Belle.

"You're absolutely right. What is your name, sweetie?"

"I'm Belle. This is Rumple, Killian, Regina, Henry, Bae, Emma, an' Archie." The little librarian introduced everyone in the group to Wendy. She pointed to Emma's stomach. "An' Aria's in there waitin to come out."

"Well I'm very pleased to meet all of you."

"Do ya like dressin up like a boy cause ya wanna be one like that guy wants ta be a sweet transvestite in Rocky Horror?" Killian asked. Emma gasped in shock; Bae buried his face in his hands. Archie looked away. Henry was trying not to laugh.

"I...am...going...to...KILL...you," Emma said to Bae through gritted teeth. "You want to tell me when our son watched THAT?!"

He threw up his hands. "I don't know!"

"You'll have to excuse our son...Killian! What did Dad and I tell you about your mouth?" Emma scolded.

"Oh, it's all right, Emma. I'm used to kids saying some outrageous things. No, Killian. I just dress up like Peter because I guess I wanted to be like him while I was growing up...be able to go to a magical place when I was sad and have a lot of friends. And did you know I'm not the first girl to play Peter Pan."

"You're not?"

"No. I was inspired watching a very talented actress named Mary Martin play him a long time ago. People thought it was strange for her to play a boy too but for a lot of people she was Peter Pan."

"Cool!"

She kneeled down to be on the little ones' level. "What I'm trying to say is you can be anything you want to be...you just have to believe in yourself."

"I wanna be a librarian that goes on 'ventures with Rumple round the world!" Belle announced.

"Think I wanna be President...that's kinda like a queen," said Regina.

"Gods help us all!" Archie said under his breath.

"She'd be a good one, Archie...would kick all Congress to the curb," Henry said. "She's said it a few times."

"Dunno maybe I jus wanna be a sailor...y'know like in the Navy only not gonna sing that stupid Village People song. Yuck!" Killian made a face.

"M'gonna be a 'torney...send all the bad guys to jail an' sue the pants off people who 'serve it!" Rumple declared.

"And I think you can be. You can all be what you want. Never give up on those dreams. Who wants a picture?"

"I do!" they chorused and posed as Bae and Emma snapped pictures on their phones. Henry took one for the Nevenger Adventures In Disney album calling it: Shocking Peter Pan.

They then posed with the Darling children and Tinkerbell. Tink sprinkled some glitter on them that she was using as fairy dust, all of them wondering what happened to Tinkerbell in the real Neverland when Rumple's father controlled it.

After giving Killian a stern warning to watch his mouth, Bae and Emma took the children to meet Captain Hook. His real name was Jonathan and he admitted that he didn't care for his costume either and emphasized that real pirates were not always people to be admired.

"We know...we wanna be good," Killian said while they posed for pictures, Jonathan even allowing the little pirate to give him bunny ears in one of them, much to his parents' dismay.

While they were walking to the Under the Sea exhibit, they spotted the Evil Queen and Snow White. The four toddlers raced over to them while Bae, Emma, Henry, and Archie tried to keep up.

The two women felt like they were being baked alive in their costumes and were looking forward to spending their lunchtime in a nice air conditioned restaurant but when they saw a group of toddlers running toward them, they were happy to put their plans on hold for a bit.

The Evil Queen, whose real name was Rayna, was a mother of two, her daughters not much older than the children they were about to meet. Rayna was especially curious about the little boy with the floofy hair who walked with a cane. Rayna sometimes visited the hospitals with Andrea, the girl playing Snow White and they would do a little skit for the sick children.

"Finally I gets to meet the Evil Queen!" exclaimed Regina. "Ya got your apple on ya?"

Rayna laughed. "I accidently left it at home. And who might you be?"

"I'm Regina and these are my friends...we's the Nevengers!"she bragged.

"The Nevengers?"

"Uh-huh cause we went to Neverland to kick butt an' take names," explained little queen. "You sure kicked Snow White's butt when ya gave her that apple. Really Snow White, who lets a stranger in the house when you know yous not 'sposed to?" she scolded Snow White.

"You have a point there, honey," Andrea said, giggling.

"Or take things from strangers," Rumple reminded. "That's how they drug you an' take you away."

"We're glad to see you all found some valuable lessons from the movie," Andrea praised.

"Yeah an' who runs off with a guy ya barely know...what if he was a sicko?" Regina went on.

"Your kids are very smart for their age," Andrea said. "Most of them wouldn't pick up on that till they're older."

"We feel they should learn early so that they can avoid a dangerous situation," Emma told her.

"Uh-huh an we know who the good guys are an who's the creeps...right Rumple?" Belle asked him.

"Yeah. You gotta watch out for the creepy toy guy," said the small attorney.

"Have you seen him doing anything strange?" Henry questioned.

Rayna scowled. "You talking about Mr. Putin? He reminds me of Stalin. He gives me the chills."

"You gots kids...better keep em away from him...we think he does nasty stuff to them," Killian cautioned.

They all shivered.

Rayna agreed silently. She'd rather have her kids play in the city dump than go into Putin's Toy Emporium.

Andrea noticed that a group of children she was posing for a picture with a week earlier were happy with her but when they went into the toy shop they all came out looking like they wanted to hide under their beds and not come out for a week.

There was definitely something wrong there and word about the park was a detective from the Orlando PD had paid Putin a visit yesterday morning. She wasn't surprised.

They weren't aware of it but Detective Carlyle was at the park doing surveillance...after he had the difficult task of informing Brian's wife her husband had been killed in the line of duty and now her children were fatherless.

He was a good friend of the family; he had been Brian's mentor at the Academy and stood as godfather to his youngest daughter, two year old Fiona. It had been a rough morning, but he had to get back in the saddle and do his job.

And his first priority was ensuring the safety of the children who visited the park, especially the two Gold boys. Though the report from Interpol came back clean, Nick knew there was nothing clean about the man who ran the toy shop but he needed proof.

That was what he needed to do now, get the proof he needed to put this bastard away for life, because he knew Putin was guilty as sin. Everything in his gut pointed to it.

The children posed for pictures with Rayna and Andrea.

"Whadda you think a real prince is...someone who has good looks but dumb as a box a rocks or a guy who's really smart?"

Belle was curious.

Emma and Bae wanted a hole to open up and swallow them. The things these kids came out with!

"Hooo boy, here she goes again," Killian sighed.

Andrea smiled. "I think a real prince is someone who loves you for who you truly are, and doesn't try and change you, but accepts you. So he's not just into looks. And he's smart."

Belle beamed. "See...she gets it!"

"And when you find a good man, sweetie, you hang onto him, because looks fade but a good heart never dies," Rayna told her. Her husband, Chris, was an ordinary looking guy who loved her for her brains and not her looks, and many people wondered what she saw in him.

Belle reached for Rumple's hand. "I'm gonna marry him when I get big an we're gonna live in a big house with lotsa kids."

Killian rolled his eyes. "Ya tole us that a million times now...why don'cha just do it now an get it over with!"

Rayna laughed. "You do that, sweetie. I married the boy next door to me and we have two beautiful kids and we're still together."

"Cause you have true love." Belle said.

She glanced over at Archie. "Now if we could just get Mister Hopper over here to get his head outta his butt he'll be married to Selene 'fore we leave here!"

The former cricket's face was beet red.

"Belle..." he groaned.

"Will ya relax?" Regina huffed. "He's old, it takes him time ta work himself up to the touchy feely stage."

"Bae...find me a hole and stick me in it..." he whispered to Bae.

"I think you're gonna have company," Emma said.

"Okay . . .why don't we go and see Ariel now?" suggested Bae, thinking that he was going to need Prozac after this vacation was over.

"Yay!" They cheered.

They bid goodbye to the Evil Queen and Snow and went towards where the Under the Sea exhibit was set up.

They were curious to see if this Ariel was like the real one or nasty like the fake Belle.

Henry still wanted go on the rides, anticipating going on a roller coaster the most.

There was one called Urusla's Revenge at the end of the Under the Sea exhibit he really wanted to go on-it went through an underwater tunnel and upside down three times.

"S'gonna make ya puke!" Rumple warned.

"Nope! I NEVER get sick on rides!" Henry boasted. They moved into Triton's palace.

"Kay we'll 'member that when ya lose your 'testines!" Regina teased.

"Not gonna happen," his grandson said, and as if to prove his cast iron stomach, he bought a large powdered sugar sea-cake, a funnel cake shaped like an octopus, and ate it as they walked.

"Yup...that's gonna be comin back up," Regina concluded.

They found Ariel standing on a seashell with Eric and Triton, waving and snapping pictures with excited children.

"Hey Ariel!" Regina called out.

Ariel waved to her as they stood on line. "Hello!" she called.

"Wonder if she sings like Ariel in the movie," Belle mused.

"She's pretty," Killian said. "I like her hair."

Rumple eyed it critically. "It's not real, dearie. Prolly a wig."

"Ya mean Ariel's BALD!" yelped the little girl standing just before them on line.

Emma prayed to be struck by lightning.

Bae slapped his forehead.

"What if her hair fell out?" mused a little boy behind them.

"That happened to my aunt," remarked the little girl.

"Why?" asked Belle.

"She had cancer," the other child replied.

"Oh my goodness!" cried the other little boy. "Maybe Ariel's got cancer!"

"Guys...come on...!" Emma pleaded.

"Then we gotta pray for her," the other little girl cried. "It worked for my aunt."

"I don't think mermaids get cancer, do you?" Killian asked Henry.

"Ummm...I don't think so..."

"Well, I'm still prayin' cause it can't hurt," replied the other girl. And she began to mutter a Hail Mary.

Emma groaned. She could just hear the rumor mill now. Disney's Ariel Battles Cancer-please send donations . . .!

Soon some of the other children started praying with her.

Rumple started reciting the Our Father.

Henry almost choked on the last piece of his sea-cake.

"Archie, how much do you charge?" Bae whispered. "Cause I think I'm gonna need some therapy."

"You and me both!" Emma added.

"I think I'll have to do a consult because I'll need therapy too!"

He was learning quickly just how hard it was raising children. They always kept you on your toes. Now he understood why Rumple had so many gray hairs...Bae did tell him he was a bit wild as a boy. If this was what Rumple had to deal with all the time, he thought he should invest in some hair dye. Still, he wanted to be a father himself someday, the complete opposite of his own.

No child of his would be picking pockets or running cons.

Emma dreaded what would happen when it was their kids' turn to see Ariel.

Unfortunately one of the other children did ask about the mermaid's hair and if she had cancer.

Melody Pond, the young actress portraying Ariel was stunned.

She was used to children saying outrageous things but never suggesting she had a terminal illness before.

"Umm . . .no, where did you hear that?"

"Then why you wearin' a wig?" the child asked. "You sure you ain't sick?"

"I promise sweetie."

"Good! I hope you an' Eric have lots more kids!"

"Ummm...well...yes..."

The little girl cheered and then jumped down from the platform after having her picture taken. Then it was the Gold children's turn.

"You go first Rumple," Belle suggested.

"Hello, Ariel," Rumple said. He looked her up and down.

She smiled at him and moved aside to make room for him.

"So do I. It's my favorite."

Then he whispered, "Hey, is that your real hair?"

"No," she whispered back. "Mine is brown and short."

"I didn't think so. I know someone with natural red hair," he whispered back.

"Are you disappointed?"

"Umm . . .no . . .cause I have brown hair too," he said. It was true.

She ruffled his hair affectionately. "Yes you do. What's your name sweetie?"

"I'm Rumple," he said.

"I'm Melody like Ariel's daughter."

Rumple grinned. "That's what the baby's name means. Her name's gonna be Aria." He pointed to Emma. "Only she's not ready to get born yet."

"Oh, that's a lovely name. Did you pick it out?" She sensed this boy was highly intelligent which was why she felt comfortable giving him her real name.

"Yes. It also means 'telligence of an eagle and a person who 'spires to high causes." Rumple said.

"Very inspiring," Melody said softly. She smiled at him. "And do you know that you can inspire someone just be doing something small. This baby will be looking up to you too so make sure you always teach her the right things."

"I will, Ariel."

"All of you come up and sit with me," Ariel invited. The Nevengers all smiled at each other and joined her on the platform.

"Can ya sing for us Ariel?" Belle asked.

"I certainly could." She picked up a small bag and took a fork out of it, showing it to the children.

"Look at this stuff

Isn't it neat

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete

Wouldn't you think I'm a girl, a girl who has everything..." Melody sang.

"Ooooh I love this song!" Regina cried clapping her hands.

"Everyone can sing it with me," Melody invited.

The parents stood back and watched their children singing along with the Little Mermaid and she didn't care one bit if they sounded a bit off key. After the song was over, the Nevengers posed for pictures with her. For his Nevenger Adventure Album, Henry called this set Sing Along With Ariel and even recorded a video for it but now he wanted to go on the rides.

"You puke m'gonna laugh my butt off an' say we tole ya so!" Rumple teased, shaking his finger at his grandson.

Henry laughed. "Not going to puke," he insisted.

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Kay...if you say so."

Rasputin locked up the shop for a few hours while he scouted the park for more souls to add to his collection, finding none that suited him until he spotted the Gold family.

The unholy images playing themselves out in his mind would horrify the family had they seen them. There were no limits to his depravity and sometimes he wished he did not have to hide his true nature but the only realm that would welcome such a man was the deepest pit in Hell.

As Rasputin was about to approach them he quickly backed away when he saw Detective Carlyle walking past them.

Dammit, he cursed to himself in English with more vulgar words in his mind in Russian for Cruella whose little plan to distract the detective was not going as well as they thought.

"Tective Carlyle! Hi!" Rumple called out, waving his hands to get the older man's attention. Nick smiled faintly and walked over to the bench where Rumple was sitting with his friends.

"Hi there," Nick greeted pleasantly. "Are you having a good day?"

"Uh-huh! We saw Snow White, the Evil Queen, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, the Darlings, Tinkerbell an' we just got done singin with Ariel!"

Nick chuckled. "Sounds like you've had a busy morning."

Rumple eyed the badge on the detective's shirt, frowning. "Why you got a black stripe on your badge?"

Nick lowered his head. "One of...my friends...another officer...passed away," he said sadly.

"Awww...m'really sorry. Was he a really good friend?"

"He was my best friend," Nick confessed.

"We're so sorry." Bae offered. They read about the officer's death in the newspaper that morning and decided to send a donation to his family in the sympathy card they mailed to his widow that morning.

"Did he have kids?" asked Belle.

"Yes. They're young like you are."

The four toddlers looked like they wanted to cry and they were on the inside for the detective and the family of the murdered officer.

"Detective, if you need to talk..." Archie began, knowing losing his best friend had to be difficult for the officer and though Archie was a stranger in this city, he was always willing to offer counsel to anyone who needed it.

"I already have an appointment with the department's psychologist," Nick said. "But thanks."

"You look like you could use a hug though," Belle said.

"I…"

"GROUP HUG!" the little beauty yelled and four toddlers rushed over to him and hugged him. Nick found himself smiling again. He couldn't understand it but there was something special about this group of children.

"We're really sorry, Detective…" Emma said.

"Don't be….I needed this," he murmured. "Thank you...all of you…"

"S'okay….know you're tryin to be brave but if ya wanna cry you go ahead," Rumple encouraged.

He did plenty of that while he was talking to Brian's widow. He held onto them a bit longer, touched that wanted to comfort a person they barely knew yet when he gazed down at their small faces he could have sworn that they'd been through something similar. He just didn't understand how. They were three and half year olds who acted and talked like adults sometimes.

"It still astounds me how far they've come since the curse was broken," Archie whispered to Emma.

"I know."

"You and Bae played a large part in that, you know."

"That's what they've all told us," Bae said.

"I have to be going now but I'll see all of you around," Nick said to the children.

"Kay. Bye 'Tective Carlyle!"

Henry returned a few minutes later. Regina and Rumple took one look at his pale face and smirked.

"Feel like you're gonna barf up your lungs, Henry?" Regina teased.

"Nope!" he insisted. Moments later he felt the bile rising in his throat and raced to the nearest trashcan only he didn't make it in time. He collided with someone walking in his direction and vomited all over them.

"What….why you little BRAT!" Rasputin bellowed.

"Holy crap!" Killian exclaimed. "He puked on the toy shop guy!"

"Uh-oh…" Belle mumbled.

Regina poked Rumple in the ribs. "Hey Rumple look, it's Mister…Pukin!" They giggled.

Oh God, I am so dead, Henry thought. The toy store owner was looking at him like he wanted to cut him to ribbons and ship him home to his parents in a shoebox. It wasn't like he was planning on doing it!

"Mister, I am so sorry….allow me to…" Bae pulled some napkins out of Emma's purse and tried hand them to him. The elderly man slapped his hand away.

"You've caused me enough trouble!" he barked.

"It was an accident!" Emma glared at him.

"That boy being born was an accident…an unfortunate one!"

"Hey, buddy, maybe you caught something somewhere and need to be in bed, huh?" Bae said to his son, then gave Rasputin a rueful glance. "Sorry about that, but well, sometimes you can't help it." He wrapped an arm around Henry protectively.

"Of course you can't," Rasputin sneered. "Do you think I just got off the boat, boy? It was intentional!"

Henry shrank away from him. "No . . .it wasn't . . .I didn't mean to . . ."

Bae was now glaring at the other man. "Look, mister, he got sick and he happened to bump into you, now back off. Or maybe I ought to ask a few of these people here what THEY saw?"

"Is there a problem here?" they heard Detective Carlyle ask.

Rasputin cursed in Russian.

"Detective, my son accidentally got sick all over Mr. ahh Putin here and he's accusing him of deliberately doing so after we apologized," Bae told him.

"It was clearly an accident, Mr. Putin. I saw the whole thing...or are you questioning the word of a police officer?"

Rasputin sputtered, muttering something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sir. You are correct. I am a little upset so . . .perhaps I took it the wrong way," he gritted out, wishing he could tear the police officer to shreds with some of his shadow demons.

"Well then...you might want to go get cleaned up."

Get away from them you bastard, Nick thought angrily.

"Yes, of course . . ." still scowling, Rasputin backed away.

Nick stepped in front of the family. This man, whoever he was, wasn't going to harm them, not while he was around. He just wished the Russian authorities would hurry the hell up and respond to his inquiries.

"Dad, there's something seriously WRONG with that guy," Henry muttered. "Anybody else would have just let it go . .but he . . he looked at me like he wanted to . .. rip me apart. I'm sorry it had to be him who was in my way."

"He's evil!" Belle said, cringing.

Rumple nodded. "Yeah and just why was he here, anyway? He oughta be mindin' his shop an' working. It's the middle of the day."

"I thought that too, Rumple," said Nick.

"Something's fishy and it ain't a mermaid," Regina snorted. "Seems like he's always around when we are."

"I'm trying to find out who he is but I'm not having much luck, I'm afraid." Nick confessed. "And...unfortunately...I can't arrest him without solid proof of a crime."

"We understand that," Emma said. "I'm in law enforcement too."

"Oh? Are you a detective?"

"Sheriff, actually. For a very small town up north."

"Then you know how frustrating this is for me."

"Yeah, I know. That guy-something's not Kosher with him. But he's covered his tracks well, hasn't he? Still, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll slip up. His kind always do, eventually."

"Let's hope so. I'll look after you as best I can but if he tries anything and I'm not around, you call me." He handed her a card with his home and cell numbers on it.

"Thanks." She tucked it into her pocket. She had an eerie feeling she was going to need those numbers.

They heard a cell phone ringing. Nick took his out of his pocket. and listened for a minute or two. "I'm on my way." He sighed. "I have to go...there was another...incident I have to look into." He didn't dare say it was another murder.

"Good luck," Emma said, and immediately thought who died now?

"Can we see Cinderella now?" Belle asked.

"Okay, let's go." Emma knew keeping the children busy would take their minds off Mr. Putin but she couldn't. The man gave her bad vibes and she was hoping Nick Carlyle could find something out on him soon. She had her suspicions he was a pedophile based on the earlier encounter Rumple and Henry had with him but as she said to the detective, he was covering his tracks well...too well.

Belle and Regina were singing A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes while they were walking to Cinderella's castle.

Emma and Bae were hoping the kids wouldn't do anything outrageous with Cinderella, forgetting with that group there was always some kind of mishaps going on.

The girls wanted to go to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to be made over into princesses. The boys were a bit reluctant to be turned into knights until Belle threatened them with a book to the butt.

Rumple knew she would use the thickest book she had in her arsenal.

"Speakin a that...ya think we should have our own little weapons?" Killian asked.

"You mean like Batman?" Rumple asked.

"Uh-huh...you gots your cane...maybe you can 'chant one of Belle's books to have teeth like a monster an scare baddies."

"Oooh, a book monster! I like it!" Belle exclaimed.

"It's gotta have angry eyes too," added Regina.

"Yep. I don't have my hook anymore so I gotta find somethin else as my special weapon." Killian said.

"M'gonna make rotten apple bombs," Regina giggled wickedly.

Belle's eyes widened. "You'd get put in jail for making bombs!"

"Not real ones! They just 'splode rotten apple all over ya."

Henry laughed. "Leave it to you, M...Regina to create a new use for apples."

"Love to see one 'splode on Mister Pukin!" Rumple muttered.

I'd love to dump a cart full of them on Carla Paddington, Archie thought bitterly.

"Look...there's Cinderella!" Belle yelled and grabbed Rumple's hand, nearly dragging him over to where the princess stood surrounded by other children wanting pictures taken with her.

"Belle Gold, you wait for the rest of us!" Emma scolded.

"Sorry Rumple. Your leg bothering you?" Belle asked him.

He shook his head, not wanting her to see that he was having some pain after trying to keep with her.

Killian and Regina caught up with them. "Hey mate, Gina's got a good idea for my toy...kinda like a frisbee with spikes on it. Whaddya think?

"I like it," Rumple said. "Like Batman's batarangs."

"Yep."

"Yeah an now I want my own Justice Mobile," Belle huffed.

Rumple groaned. "Why can't we just share, like other people?"

"Cause you always wanna drive an I like to drive," she replied.

"You crash more'n you drive," Killian taunted.

Belle glared at him. "Like you can talk! YOU crashed into the 'lectrical box once!"

"Sun was in my eyes," Killian grumbled.

She rolled her eyes. "Why wasn't you wearing sunglasses, smart guy?"

"Cause Matt broke em."

Rumple frowned. "That kid needs a trip over somebody's knee."

"How bout the Book Monster bite him?" Belle asked.

"Good one, dearie! Right in the butt!"

"Gonna call him Mister Sense. Ya know like the book Common Sense?"

Rumple giggled. "He's gonna have a lotta people to bite the sense back into, cause people nowadays don't have ANY common sense!"

"Nope. An I'm gonna have to make lotsa stinky apple bombs 'case the book don't work," Regina added.

"You wouldn't want to make a few for me, would you, Regina?" Archie asked.

"Sure! Who ya gonna bomb?"

"Mrs. Paddington if she gets my name wrong one more time!"

He knew she was only doing it to irritate him.

The line was getting long to see Cinderella so the kids decided to skip the salon visit.

They could see Cinderella during their dinner in the Beauty and the Beast dining room as well, since she visited some of the tables.

She seemed pleasant enough but they were learning quickly that reality was sometimes more unpleasant than fiction.

Rumple had a problem with the whole Cinderella story, and it started with the real Cinderella in his homeland.

She wanted to snag herself a prince and she did...by pimping herself out.

He cleared his throat and said, "Why was it so important for ya to marry a prince? What-a regular guy ain't 'nough for ya? Ya had to snag yourself someone rich n' handsome-like on the Bachelor when all the girls pimp themselves so they can get the billionaire?"

Cinderella, whose name was Billie Tyler started laughing.

Regina piped up with, "Yeah an' you gotta respect yourself! Ya don't need a man if you can get a good job an' everything."

"You must be the bunch Snow and the Queen warned me about," she said with a smile.

Rayna and Andrea told their friend about a group of children who called themselves the Nevengers but they pointed out some eye opening facts about the fairy tales.

Belle nodded. "You gotta be careful to not just marry a guy you barely know . . .he could be some sick and bad person and kill you in your sleep-like what happened to that girl who met a guy she thought was nice on the Web and when she met him he kidnapped her and killed her. You gotta get to know the guy first and then trust your heart."

Bae groaned. "I should be used to this by now, but I still want to crawl in a hole," he whispered to Emma.

"Make room for me."

Billie kneeled down. "My boyfriend David isn't a billionaire...he makes games for the computer."

And he was still trying to get a major company to distribute them but not having much luck because they were learning games for children. Violent games were in demand and he refused to write one.

Rumple looked alarmed. "Are they games where you kill people n'stuff? We're not 'llowed to play those. Mom says they corrupt you n' stuff."

"Oh no...they're children's learning games. One of them is like a virtual classroom that teaches math and another is an interactive story."

"That's okay then," he nodded. "What kinda story is it?"

"It's mostly to teach you to be safe...one scene is in a kitchen."

She suggested that one after her sister got burned touching the stove.

"You gotta be careful in the kitchen, right, Killian? Else you could burn the house down," Rumple said, referring to a time when Kilian tried to "make" breakfast before Bae got up one morning and burnt eggs so bad the smoke alarm went off and lit a dishtowel on fire trying to get the pan off the stove.

"That's one lesson and another is about safety with chemicals like your dishwashing liquid and house cleaning supplies. Do you know who Mister Yuck is?"

They all shook their heads.

"When I went to school we had this green sticker with an upset face and his tongue was sticking out. We put that on those bottles so we knew it wasn't safe for us to eat or drink them."

"Or the one where it's got the black skull on it for poison," Killlian pointed out.

"Yes but Mister Yuck was used because they thought children would be more cautious since the skull and bones makes them think of pirates."

Killian nodded. "S'what I thought too."

"But when you see Mister Yuck you think of something gross right?"

"Yeah, I would." Rumple said. "An' you never mix bleach with ammonia cause it makes a poison gas and you can die."

"Another thing it teaches about is strangers."

"You never go with a stranger . . .even if they give you candy or say they're gonna buy you something," Belle recited.

"That's right."

Billie had them all pose for a picture and Emma asked if she could get copies of David's games for the kids, mostly Killian and Aria.

They would all dine Belle's ballroom that evening with a few Disney Princesses but Belle refused to be anywhere near the fake Belle.

"She'll make me puke, 'sgrace to the Belle name."

"You mean Lacey? She ahhh...isn't here anymore."

"She get fired?"

"Well...yes..."

"Good she was mean an dumb!"

"They have a new person playing her-I think you'll like Emilie," Billie said.

"She better be nice. Are we gonna meet her tonight?"

Belle was going to give her the test, the same questions she had for Lacey and Belle's opinion of her would depend on her responses.

After all, this girl was representing her.

After dinner they were going to Lake Eola where the Nevengers would put Operation: Kiss The Girl into action.

"Yes you are. She's very excited."

There was a waltz planned with Belle and the Beast for that night.

"We're gonna see Beauty an the Beast dance, Rumple! I can't wait!"

He looked excited too. "Hope they do it right."

Cinderella smiled. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." Emile was a former dancer on Broadway in New York and Rich could also dance, having taken a course in ballroom dancing.

"Can we record it ,Henry?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, I charged my phone before we came," he said.

"Goodie!" Even she was excited to see the dance.

"After you have dinner, it will start," Cinderella promised. Then she bid them goodbye and went to visit another table with a family.

"Hey guys better rest your voices...need 'em for...owwww!" Killian yelped when he felt Belle's foot kicking him under the table.

"No more shenanigans today guys," Bae warned.

He didn't know how much more his blood pressure could take.

"We're being good as gold...right guys?" Regina winked at her friends.

"Uh huh!"

Emma shook her head. "You're up to something."

Rumple gave her an innocent look.

"Don't think you can fool me, imp. Remember my superpower?"

"I didn't say anything."

"It doesn't just apply to what you say mister."

"Not gonna do anything bad," he objected.

"Maybe not bad but something crazy I'm sure."

"When we gonna have dessert?" Regina asked to change the subject before one of them cracked under Emmaterrogation.

"I hope soon," Killian said. "And what are we gonna have?" Unlike some of the other places, there was a set menu for this dinner-and you could only pick the main course, everything else was chosen for you.

"Hope nothing 'gusting!"

The servers came around with pieces of cake-vanilla and chocolate with cannoli cream in the middle, with swirled frosting and a scoop of birthday cake ice cream on the side. You could drizzle chocolate or caramel syrup over it if you wanted.

Henry laughed when his little brother drowned his in chocolate syrup. "You gonna be able to eat that?"

"Uh huh. I like it!"

"You get sick 'fore we go to the lake m'sendin Mister Common Sense after your butt!" Belle threatened.

"I won't," Killian assured her. "Never get sick with chocolate."

"Neither does your father," Emma said, eating her piece slowly. She was still full from dinner.

"Are you all having a good time?" inquired Jasmine as she approached the table.

She, Aurora and Cinderella were all scheduled in the castle that evening.

"Yes!" they chorused. Jasmine was one of the few princesses who didn't act like a princess, but defied convention.

"Mind if I sit down a bit?"

Killian moved his chair over. "You can sit by me."

Like Cinderella, Jasmine also knew who this group of children was from gossip by the princesses who already met them and was promised shed have a few good laughs from what they said and did.

Regina rolled her eyes. "She ain't available!" she hissed to the former pirate.

"M'not trying ta pick her up. Sheesh ya think I'm a manho!"

Archie nearly choked on his coffee.

"Emma, where's your gun?" Bae wanted to know. "Because I'm putting myself out of my misery."

"Not gonna be a manho. They get crabs!"

Rumple scowled at his son. "You do that, Bae and you're gonna be in Lucifie's stew pot!"

"Yep an he'll pick his teeth with your bones!" added Belle.

Jasmine laughed. "Well you guys sure do live up to your reputation."

"They have a reputation?" Bae moaned. "Do I want to know?"

"Oh just that they can give you good laugh or make you think."

"Oh they can surely do that!" Emma snickered.

"They're always thinking of something," Archie added.

"Uh-huh like you kissing the girl!" Belle reminded him.

"Belle!"

At nearly the same time, Rumple asked Jasmine, "Now that you n' Aladdin are married, when you gonna have a baby?"

"Ummm...well...when they decide its time..."

"Takin' forever!" Rumple grumbled. "They need to hurry up! Fore your biological clock stops ticking!"

"Speaking of hurryin' up, cricket...you better kiss Selene 'fore her clock stops ticking!" Belle informed him tartly.

Killian and Regina merely sat back and watched with identical smirks on their faces while Henry recorded the event to add to the album The Rumbelle Roast of Jasmine and Jiminy Cricket. His little grandparents were acting just like the stars on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. It was one of Rumple's favorite old shows.

"Maybe you should write the studio and tell them?" suggested Jasmine wickedly. She would love to see the letter these two sent to the studio execs. It would knock them right off their pedestals and onto the floor.

"We could," Belle said. "I can write good."

"So can I. An they need a wake up call, right, dearies?" Rumple said.

"Yep. Gotta tell 'em not to keep making the princesses marry dumb good lookin' guys."

"And sometimes the villains 'serve happy endings too," Regina added.

"If they're sorry an' wanna be good again," Rumple agreed.

"That doesn't apply to Jafar."

"No. He's just nasty," Rumple said. "Some people are like that."

"An how about makin' a smart hero-who's not strong but he can use his head . . .and he saves everyone by his wits," Belle declared. "And he's not a pretty boy, but he's pretty to the girl who loves him."

"Yeah so you don't have to feel like you're not ever gonna be like a prince or something cause you're not handsome, or strong, or whatever," Rumple said, and tapped his cane pointedly. "Kids like me . . .we need somebody like that . . . since we're never gonna be like those princes in the stories."

"You know, you're both right. About needing more stories like that."

Rumple and Belle beamed.

Jasmine stood up. "I'd like to stay longer but Belle and the Beast are about to start their dance."

They all clapped.

The lights dimmed and a door opened towards the front of the dining room, where the stained glass window with the rose motif was. The Beast, dressed in his signature blue outfit, escorted Belle, in her familiar gold dress, into the room.

A hush settled over the room as the song that had made the couple famous began to play.

Belle and Rumple were riveted to their adult Disney counterparts.

Emilie put her hand around Rich's waist in the opening steps of the waltz, tilting her head and smiling up at him with love in her eyes.

Then he spun her gracefully about and they began to dance across the floor, graceful as feathers dancing on the wind.

The golden dress billowed about her feet and she twirled across the floor, her golden shoes sparkling.

Despite his heavy costume, Rich managed to make the waltz look almost effortless, his boots tapping out the rhythm easily, and they danced up and down the "ballroom" twice before spinning about to a halt and bowing to the audience.

The lights came up again and Belle and the Beast waved to their audience, and the Beast presented Belle with a rose.

Belle accepted it and then leaned over and kissed the Beast.

People clapped and cheered wildly.

"Yay Belle!" Belle cheered.

Traditionally, the Beast should have transformed back into a prince, but the couple chose not to go that route, and instead he remained the Beast as they walked around to greet their guests.

"You ready to meet the Nevengers, Emilie?" he asked her.

"Oh yes! Anyone who can get that tramp Lacey revealed for what she was has my vote," she replied to her partner. She took his arm as they made their way over to the Gold table.

"They's coming over here, Rumple!" Belle cried excitedly, grabbing his sleeve.

"I see them, Belle. M' not blind."

"Don't be a Mister Smarty Pants!"

He rolled his eyes.

"An don'cha roll your eyes at me, Mister Gold, or m'gonna send Mister Common Sense after you!"

Rich and Emilie approached the table right in the middle of the tiny couple's argument.

"Don't get in a snit, dearie. You like me this way an' you know it," he hissed to her.

"That's it...your butt is getting booked, dearie."

"You're the one who doesn't want a dumb prince for a boyfriend," he retorted. "An' I'm not dumb an' I'm not a walk-on carpet neither!"

"Never said you were!"

"Guys, cool it!" Emma snapped.

The couple bowed their heads in shame. "Sorry."

"For a minute we thought we were listening to a married couple," Rich joked.

"They act like it," Killian muttered.

"Why'd you stay the beast after the kiss?" Regina asked.

"We wanted to change things a bit," Emilie admitted.

"We liked that better Belle should be with the beast not a prince who's dumb." Belle said.

"You all bring up some interesting points about these stories. Impressive at your age."

"Makes sense when you think 'bout it,'" Rumple put in.

"An' you're not a 'sgrace to the Belle name like that Lacey."

"Yeah she's prolly on the street corner now spreadin crabs!" Killian laughed.

"Oh my God, Rich, they are hysterical!" Emilie was nearly doubled over laughing.

"I don't know how you keep your sanity," Rich remarked to Emma and Bae.

"We're close to losing it," Bae frowned at the group.

They all looked slightly ashamed.

"Oh it's all right, Mr. Gold."

Emilie looked at Emma. "And I see you're having another soon. Boy or girl?"

"Her name's gonna be Aria," Rumple announced. "Cause she's gonna be smart and do great stuff like her mama."

Emma blushed.

"Well ya did an still do." Rumple insisted.

"Why don't you all introduce yourselves," Emilie suggested.

Rumple held out his hand to her. "I'm Rumple."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Rumple."

"An I'm Belle, like THE Belle," Belle shook her hand next. "Do you sing, Emilie? You have a really pretty voice an you kinda sound like Selene."

"That's because I'm from England too...and I do sing but I like dancing more, especially with the Beast."

"I'm Regina. We really like you better than the other Belle. She looked like a ho."

Oh she was all right, Emilie thought. Emilie always wanted to be Belle from the day she was hired but she'd been warned it would be hard to oust Lacey from the position when word around the park was that she was sleeping around with someone in the office.

They were forced to fire her after several complaints from guests about her showing up to Storytime drunk.

Killian kissed Emilie's hand. "You have a boyfriend?"

Emilie giggled. "Ummm...yes..."

His face fell. "Aww crap. Cause I'd ask ya out if you didn't."

"Umm...Killian, need we remind you again you're too young?" Bae asked.

He sighed. "No."

"I'm Henry." Henry shook her hand next. "And this is my mom and dad, Emma and Bae and our friend Archie."

"Archie's Selene's boyfriend." added Belle.

"Oh I know. She talks about him a lot."

Archie blushed. "She...does?"

The four Nevengers winked at each other.

"So Emilie, do you really think Belle should be with the beast or a prince?" Belle quizzed.

"I think you should be with who you love, no matter what they look like and even if he has some faults...we all do...you learn to take the good with the bad. Of course there are some exceptions but for the most part, that's what true love is."

It was what she wanted for herself.

"I guess we're trying to demonstrate that this evening," Rich added.

"You made these little rugrats happy," Emma said.

The group posed for a picture with Emilie and Rich with Emilie holding Belle and Rich held Rumple. Henry took a second picture with his phone and added the caption: Tales as Old as Time.

Before they left they surprised everyone by suggesting the girls dance with Rich while the boys danced with Emilie.

Emma and Bae fought back tears while they watched, even with all the mishaps and mysteries, there were some wonderful moments in this vacation.

Belle and Rumple danced with them last, Emilie took special care with Rumple because of his leg and picked him up a few times to make sure he wasn't sore or tired.

"I'm not going to make Belle jealous am I?" she teased.

"Nope. She's already got our wedding planned out. We're gonna dress up like you guys."

"That will be lovely."

At the end of their dance Rich set Belle on her feet, bowed and handed her a rose. "Until we meet again, little lady."

She hugged him. "We'll see you around."

Beauty and the Beast bid their final goodbyes to the family and went to another table.

Henry added more videos to his growing Magic Kingdom Adventures album but there was one last entry he needed to do tonight and there was no doubt in his mind that with Belle running the show things would go according to plan.

They met up with Selene at the front entrance. She and Archie drove to the lake in her car while the Golds rode in theirs. Rumple and Regina took a nap during the ride. They were going to be using a lot of magic and so was Henry.

You sure this will work? Rumple heard Pongo send to him from Selene's car.

It'll work. You an Perdy can relax. We have it covered.

Selene's a bit upset, Perdy sent. She had a fight with her mum over Archie. Carla keeps telling her to break it off but she told her no.

Good. Bite her next time.

Oh I will.

The children were excited when they finally arrived at the park, relieved that they still had time to take a short ride around the lake in the swan boats.

They were paddle boats that seated four people and Selene offered to stay ashore with the dogs and film everyone while they took a ride around the lake.

"You sure you don't want me to paddle, Mom?" Henry offered from the boat he was riding in with Emma and Regina.

"No...I need the exercise and you're not old enough to be operating it yet."

"I could just make it do it for us," Regina offered.

"No magic, Regina."

"Not yet," Henry whispered in her ear.

"Kay."

"This is really cool," Killian was saying from his boat. He was riding with Bae and Rumple.

"Gonna make us one for back home," Rumple said to his son. "Emma hasta have her own swan boat."

"I'll tell you what: make me one for her birthday," Bae suggested.

"You gotta deal, Bae!"

"Mom's gonna love it," Killian agreed.

"Why you look like you're gonna pass out Archie? You gettin seasick?" Belle asked him from their boat.

"No...just a bit nervous."

"Ah, Selene really likes you so relax. Now if you kiss her you'll feel better."

"You aren't going to give up on that, are you?"

"Not till you do it."

He wanted to, but he thought it was too soon and the moment had to be just right.

On the shore Selene was sitting on a bench with the dogs at her side, trying as best she could to get a clear video not knowing Henry already magicked the camera so that it was recording from the boats as if she were actually on them filming. It was a simple spell Rumple taught him.

Archie kissing her will be the perfect end to a rotten day for her, Perdy said to Pongo.

Yes. These humans take too long figuring things out. They belong together and hopefully tonight they'll see it...with a little help of course.

Any hints to what our little toddler friends have planned?

They said it's going to be a surprise.

"We gotta do that again!" Regina cried while they walked back to Selene and the Dalmatians.

"We will before we leave, honey," Bae promised.

"Okay...now it's your turn," Henry said to Selene taking the phone back from her while Rumple watched the dogs.

"I'm sorry I vented to you in the car," Selene murmured to Archie once they were alone in the boat.

"That mother of yours...she's enough to drive you to drink!"

"Now do you see why I have such a bloody awful track record with men? She drives you all away."

"Oh I've dealt with far worse than her."

"If I didn't owe her a damned fortune in loans I would move out and get a flat of my own!"

"You can't get another one to pay them back?"

She shook her head. "I've tried. She has to cosign for them!"

He put his arm around her shoulders. "There has to be some way you can manage on your own."

You're a good one to talk, cricket. How long did it take you to crawl out of your parents' hole? Oh and let's not forget how you botched that up and ruined a little boy's life in the process.

"It's not just Mum that's driving me mad...the nightmares too."

"What nightmares?"

"I'm a house in England, not one I remember living in, locked in a closet with an older lady I call Mrs. Tisdale. I think she's a nanny but I don't remember having one of those either. Then we hear someone breaking in the house. Mrs. Tisdale tells me to stay in the closet and be quiet. She goes out...I hear two men yelling and her screaming. The next thing I see are the two men staring down at me and Mrs. Tisdale is on the floor all bloody...like they've beaten her to death! It's the worst nightmare I've ever had and doesn't make a bit of sense!"

Archie frowned. "Selene, that doesn't sound like a nightmare. That's a memory...one you've forgotten until now probably because it was too traumatic. Have you told your mother?"

"Yes but she insists it's a nightmare."

"I'd like to try something with you tomorrow if you're comfortable with it."

"You want to hypnotize me."

"It might help us find out what this nightmare means and why you're having it."

"All right but I've tried that before with my regular therapist and it didn't work."

Her mother was still arguing with her over that too.

The children hadn't planned on listening to the couple's conversation while Henry was filming it but Selene's talk of nightmares piqued their curiosity.

"Archie's right an' that hag is lyin' through her teeth if she thinks Selene's jus havin' bad dreams," Rumple concluded.

"Yeah what's she tryin' to hide?" mused Belle.

"Bet she had the nanny killed cause the other lady knew the hag was a bad mommy an' was tryin' to get Selene taken away from her," Regina said.

"I'll see if I can find something on the computer about it when we get back to the hotel but Archie might find out more when he puts her under." Henry offered.

"Yeah an see what you can find on Pukin too," Killian instructed.

"We gotta be careful guys. Mom and Dad will have a royal fit if they find out we're playing detectives."

"Yeah well somethin stinks here, Henry an it ain't rotten apples." Rumple insisted.

"Yeah first we got Pukin the pervert an now we have the old hag who reminds me a bit too much of ole Cruella De Vil," Belle said.

Pongo and Perdy whined and huddled closer together.

Emma and Bae were enjoying a short walk around the park. Aria gave her mother a few small kicks to let her know she was still awake.

"So when does this light show start, Selene?"

"Oh, not for another hour."

Archie noticed that Selene was still distressed and suggested they take a walk alone.

"Mom, I'm gonna take these guys to see the rest of the park while you relax," Henry said.

"Okay Henry but you be careful!" Bae cautioned.

"We will."

They found the couple standing underneath the illuminated Chinese Pagoda and concealed themselves behind the bushes.

"I'm sorry, Archie. I should just forget about Mum for the evening and have a good time."

"It's all right," he said softly.

"Ready, Belle," Henry whispered to her.

"Yep! Kay…do your stuff!" she ordered Rumple, Henry an Regina.

"What'm I doin'?" Killian asked.

"Yous the band."

Rumple and Regina conjured instruments and Killian took his place behind a drum set while the others played the rest of them through magic.

"There you see her

Sitting there across the way

She don't get a lot to say

But there's something about her

And you don't know why

But you're dying to try

You wanna kiss the girl…" Belle sang softly.

"Did you hear that? It sounded like someone singing," Selene said.

"Oh I heard it all right…okay, where are you guys?" Archie demanded, looking around.

"Cloakin' spell comin' up!" Rumple whispered.

Archie followed the sound to the bushes but he couldn't see anything. He shook his head and returned to the pagoda thinking it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

"Archie, what's out there?"

"Oh…umm…I thought I saw my friend's kids. Never mind." He put his arm around her again. "Forget about Carla for a bit."

And having him hold her close was making it much easier.

Belle gave her friends the thumbs up and continued to sing.

"Yes, you want her

Look at her, you know you do

It's possible she wants you too

There's one way to ask her

It don't take a word, not a single word

Go on and kiss the girl!"

"There's that singing again…must be a wedding somewhere," Selene murmured.

"People get married here?"

"Oh, all the time. It's where I would…"

"Where you would what?"

It was insane but the image was already in her mind: the two of them standing under the pagoda at night, she in a blue strapless dress, him in a tuxedo while Father Billingham conducted the ceremony.

"It's nothing."

He looked around the lake, thinking this would be the perfect place for him to get married and though it was madness, he had an image of the two of them exchanging their vows right where they were standing with Nova officiating.

"Okay guys…let's give em the works!" ordered Belle.

Regina and Henry conjured a cloud to shower the couple with rose petals and Rumple spoke to the fish in the lake to ask them to dance and sing in the water. They were more than happy to help as were the crickets when Rumple told them Archie was once one of them, chirping in harmony along with Belle and her friends. Henry moved her over to a small platform near the lake.

"Shalalalala

My oh my

Looks like the boy's too shy

Ain't gonna kiss the girl

Shalalalala

Ain't that sad

It's such a shame

Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl

Go on and kiss the girl!" Belle and the fish sang together as the couple was being showered with rose petals.

Selene didn't know what was going on or how but she felt like Ariel in the Little Mermaid at that moment…and now she DID want to be kissed.

Regina opened her hand and blew a spray of glitter into the pagoda.

A flock of swans made the roof their perch and started singing along with the rest of the group.

It's too soon, Archie kept telling himself but every time he looked at Selene it was getting more difficult not to kiss her.

"Now's your moment

Boy, you better do it soon

No time will be better

She don't say a word

And she won't say a word

Until you kiss the girl!" Belle urged, modifying the lyrics a bit to match the scene.

Pongo and Perdy jumped off the bench where they were sitting with Emma and Bae and joined Belle on the invisible platform, adding their voices to the chorus.

"Shalalalala

My oh my

Looks like the boy's too shy

Ain't gonna kiss the girl

Shalalalala

Ain't that sad

It's such a shame

Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl

Shalalalala

Don't be scared

You better be prepared

Go on and kiss the girl

Shalalalala

Don't stop now

Don't try to hide it how

You wanna kiss the girl

Go on and kiss the girl!" they sang louder.

Henry gestured and the night sky became the canvas for a beautiful fireworks display leaving the other guests scratching their heads when the show wasn't supposed to start for another hour. Even if they wanted to see what was going on, they wouldn't be able to get through the barrier the three mages set up.

"Shalalalala

My oh myyyyy

Looks like the boy's too shy

Ain't gonna kiss the girl

Shalalalala

Ain't that sad

It's such a shame

Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl

Lalalala, Lalalala

Go on and kiss the girl

Go on and kiss that girl!

Kiss the girl

Kiss the girl

Go on and kiss the girl!"

Come on Archie…take a chance, Pongo pleaded.

Oh Selene, you're a fool if you let this moment pass you by, Perdy thought sadly.

Archie and Selene were now facing each other and gazing into each other's eyes. Animals and children watched, hoping all their efforts weren't for nothing.

Sending his last shred of fear and doubt packing, Archie wrapped his arms around Selene's waist to pull her closer and lowered his lips to hers, his kiss sending pleasant shivers through her body, and making her heart pound like a bass drum in her chest.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, no longer caring if it was completely crazy and they barely knew each other but he was the kind of man she'd been looking for her whole life.

"I…I'm sorry," Archie said when they broke their kiss. "I barely know you but I feel like you're what I've been looking for…"

"My whole life," they said together and smiled. "Archie," Selene went on.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me again," she pleaded.

He was more than happy to oblige now.

"We did it, we did it!" Belle cried jumping up and down and hugged Rumple.

"You were great, dearie!" he praised.

"No WE were great!" she corrected.

"Whoo hoo…give 'er the tongue, Archie!" Killian hooted.

"Killian! Thank God he can't hear you!" Henry moaned, facepalming himself.

"Gonna need to come up for air soon!" Regina giggled.

Finally! Pongo and Perdy snorted.

Bae and Emma, worried when the children were gone too long went looking for them and were shocked to see Archie and Selene standing under the pagoda sharing a passionate kiss. Then they found their little rugrats hidden in the bushes having a celebration while under a cloaking spell.

"You have something to do with that?" Bae asked, pointing to the other couple, still oblivious to everyone but each other for the moment.

"All we did was create….the mood," Belle replied, imitating Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. "With a little help. Thanks guys!" she called out to the swans, crickets and fish while they flew and swam away.

"Come on…let's go watch the show and give them some time alone," Emma said softly.

"Kay…but lemme do this first." Rumple cast a cloaking spell on the pagoda. "So's nobody bugs them."

The children were amazed to see the fountain light up with vibrant colors in tune with the music that was being played. They were told by some of the other spectators that the park had several themed shows throughout the year but the fan favorite was the Fourth of July celebration that included fireworks.

"Must've decided to do something different tonight by adding fireworks before the show."

The Nevengers grinned. There'd been a show all right, but a private one and on the other side of the park two people were falling in love with a little help from friends old and new.


	6. We Are The Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> True love's kiss helps Selene remember her past and the Golds tell her the truth about themselves. A plan is set in motion to trap Cruella and Rasputin. The children encounter bullies at Disney and Rumple stars in his own version of the Sorcerer's Apprentice!

6   
~ We Are The Others ~

 

Archie grew concerned when Selene suddenly froze in his arms and stepped back away from him, her eyes wide with shock and horror. Pongo and Perdy barked frantically. 

Perdy, what’s wrong with her? Pongo demanded. 

I don’t know! The female Dalmatian was as terrified as her mistress.

“Selene? Selene? What is it? Was it something I did?” he cried. 

“Oh my God….Oh my God!” she screamed. “She’s real….they’re real…all of it!” 

He reached for her and drew her back into his arms. “Selene, sweetheart, what is it?” 

“All this time I thought it was just characters in a movie but they’re real….and two of them were my parents!” she sobbed into his shoulder. “You’re going to think I’m crazy!” 

Not when I tell you who I am, Archie thought, already having an inkling what she was going to say since the kids suspected it all along. 

“You’re remembering, aren’t you?” 

She raised her tear filled eyes to his. “My real name isn’t Selene Paddington, it’s Selene Dearly.” She sighed deeply before she continued. “My parents…..were Anita and Roger and they did own over a hundred Dalmatians….I know…I know it’s crazy! Go on then….put the jacket on me and toss me in the padded cell because you think I’m boxed out of my mind!” she ranted. “Well here’s the best part…..there really was a Cruella De Vil and all this time she’s passed herself off as my mother when she killed my nanny and had those bastards Horace and Jasper kidnap me!” 

“Were your parents there the night you were taken?” he inquired gently. He hated having to do this to her now and ruin what had been some wonderful moments for them but Cruella had already done that by lying to her in the first place. 

She shook her head. “Mum and Dad always had Mrs. Tisdale stay with me when they took Pongo and Perdy for a walk.” The Dalmatians’ ears perked up. “Yes, Perdy….I named you after the dog in the movie never realizing I named you after the dog I did have as a little girl too. And I guess you did the same thing too, didn’t you?” she asked Archie. 

“I did,” he admitted with a smile. “After the movie, I mean. It’s always been one of my favorites though my friend thought it odd I watched a cartoon.” 

“And….we met the same way my parents did…..crashed right into each other. It was in a park and Pongo broke off the leash to chase Perdy….and Mum assaulted Dad with her purse, telling him to get glasses or watch where he was going. Dad always said it was love at first swat. Mum’s parents didn’t approve.” 

“Was he a songwriter?” 

“Yes…and he actually did write a song called Cruella De Vil but he never published it. It was a bit more vicious than the Disney version I can tell you. Mum worked in Cruella’s shop…she didn’t design clothes but she sold them and was always going around wearing clothes from animal pelts.” 

“That part about the puppies, did that actually happen?” 

“It was why she was in prison. She went to Mum and Dad and tried to pay them twenty thousand pounds for Pongo and Perdy’s puppies but Dad tore the check up and threw her out. Then she had Horace and Jasper try to steal them but Nanny stopped them…that time. She beat them off with Dad’s cricket bat and Mum called the police when they got home. They found over a dozen animal pelts in Cruella’s house.” 

“Did all that happen before you were born, or after?” 

“Before, but Mum and Dad talked about it a lot. Cruella escaped from prison when I was five. She….she…cut my arm, put some of the blood on my nightgown and then I fell asleep. The next thing I knew I was Selene Paddington and she was my mother Carla…but I don’t know how I could’ve just forgotten everything about my life!” 

“I…I think I know how…but when I tell you, you’re going to think I’m the crazy one!” 

“You’re taking what I’ve told you rather well, especially for a psychologist or are you trying to humor me?” 

He sighed. “Because you’re not the only Disney movie character that’s real…” he said nervously. 

“Now I know you’re trying to humor me,” she said angrily. “So you can just shove it…and just bugger off while you’re at it!” 

“Selene, dammit, I’m not trying to humor you. I’m serious. I’ll prove it to you!” he cried.   
“Oh?” And just how do you plan on doing that?” 

He knew he was taking a great risk by telling her the truth about himself and the others but he didn’t want to lose her now that their relationship was starting to get more serious. Also, she’d just told him she was that daughter of the couple from 101 Dalmatians. Anyone else would have assumed she was making it up but not him….not when it appeared their kiss had broken what was possibly a memory spell or a curse. Only Rumple would be able to tell. 

“Why are you fighting?” Belle asked sadly when the others returned. Archie breathed a sigh of relief. Saved by the Belle….and the Golds. 

“Rumple, I need you to change back…please,” he begged. 

The toddler’s eyes widened. “You tole her?!” 

“Not yet. Listen, I’ll explain everything shortly but I need you to change back to your normal selves; you Belle and Regina,” he begged. 

“Kay but if she freaks out I’m wipin her memory!” Rumple warned and turned them all back into their adult selves. Selene gasped and fainted in Archie’s arms. He picked her up and carried her over to a nearby bench while he tried to revive her. 

“Archie, what in the seven hells is going on? Why are you going to tell Selene who we are?” the now adult Rumple demanded. 

“You better brace yourselves because I’m still trying to deal with the shock of it….we’re not the only Disney characters that are real.” 

“Y…You mean she’s….?” Bae stuttered.

“She’s the daughter of Anita and Roger Dearly and you were right….Carla is Cruella De Vil!” 

“I knew it!” Regina exclaimed. “It was too damned obvious. She kept calling you the wrong name the way Glenn Close does in the movie Archie and she wears animal clothing.”

Rumple waved his hand over the unconscious woman. 

“Ohhh…” Selene moaned and opened her eyes. “Archie…what happened?” 

“You fainted, sweetheart.” 

“They….they were children…and now they’re adults!? H…how?” 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Archie sighed. “Rumple is Rumplestiltskin….also the beast from Beauty and the Beast. Belle is well….Belle. Regina is the Evil Queen from Snow White; Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. Bae is Rumple’s son and Killian used to be Captain Hook.” 

 

“You’re forgetting someone dearie. Yourself,” Rumple pointed out. 

“Yeah but I wanted to stay a kid cause I wanna be raised right this time,” Killian piped up.

“So….humor me…who are you?” Selene asked Archie. 

“My real name is Jiminy but I haven’t gone by that in a long time and in our land…I was turned into a cricket…” Archie explained.

“J…Jiminy Cricket? You’re telling me you’re Jiminy Cricket? No…this and what I think I remember…I’m hallucinating. That’s it. I’ve gone mad!” Selene wailed. 

“You’re not mad, dearie,” Rumple assured her, sitting beside them on the bench. “And I suspect you were given a memory curse that’s been broken.” 

“A curse!” 

“Or a spell.” 

“But w…what made me remember all of a sudden?” 

Belle smiled. “Archie kissing you, but not just with any kiss. True love’s kiss can break any spell or curse. We should know. We’ve had our share and seen them broken with it, haven’t we, Emma?” 

“Yes.” 

“So I’m not mad?” 

“No, Selene you’re not,” Regina assured her. “We are very real and unfortunately so is Cruella but my question is Rumple: is she from our world or this one?” 

“You’re from another world? Aliens?” 

“No, we’re not aliens and our world is a bit behind the times,” Bae answered. “They’re probably still in their version of the medieval period compared to this world.” 

“She’s not from our world, Regina but she is versed in dark magic and so is Putin,” Rumple stated. 

“Selene, you can’t go back to your apartment,” Archie said. 

“What? Why?” 

“It’s too dangerous. We don’t know what that woman will try to do to you if she thinks you remember who she is,” he argued. 

“I don’t have anywhere else to go!” 

“You’re staying with us,” Bae told her before his father had a chance to and they drove back to their hotel, thinking a conversation like this was better held in private. 

“I couldn’t impose….” Selene said. 

“Nonsense, dearie. Our suite has plenty of room and she’s not getting past the wards we’re setting up.” 

“Rumple, we really should call Detective Carlyle…” Emma began. 

“And tell him what, Emma? We have a seventy year old woman killing animals for their pelts?” Belle asked. “He won’t believe it.” 

“He will when you show him this!” Henry handed his mother his phone with an article on Selene’s abduction. She quickly read it over, wishing she had the hag in the room at that moment so she could skin her! Everyone believed Selene to be dead after her nightgown with her blood on it had been fished out of the Thames along with a large clump of her hair. 

“All right. Archie, take Selene back to her apartment to pack some things. Regina, go with them in case the bitch shows up,” Emma instructed. 

The former Evil Queen smirked. “She’s going to be in for quite a shock when she sees me.” 

“Regina, take caution. We don’t know what kind of mage we’re dealing with,” Emma pleaded. 

“Sounds like a wendigo,” Killian spoke up. 

Everyone looked at him. “All right, what did you watch that gave you that idea, Killian Gold?” Emma demanded sternly. 

“Was on the X-Files. Y’know….wendigo, shapeshifter….called em skinwalkers.” 

Belle shook her head. "No, Killian, wendigos are different from skinwalkers, at least according to what I've read."  
"Huh? How?” 

Belle started explaining some of what she read on the legendary Navajo beings to the toddler. He yelped and dived behind the sofa.

"I hated doing that, but to be honest...he could be right," Belle sighed.

"So you're telling us SHE was the lion that killed Detective Carlyle's friend?"

“Yes, because it is possible to change your shape as a mage," Rumple replied. "Though it's not as easy as everyone thinks. Unless you have were blood in you or are a natural earth mage with an affinity for a particular animal. And even then there are dangers. You could . . .lose yourself in the shape, and become an animal and forget your human self. And if that happens . . .only the greatest of magicians can change you back and maybe not even then."

Selene clung to Archie. "And if she finds out I remember....she'll kill me!"

"We won't let that happen," Rumple assured her. "But you must pretend, pretend as if your life depends upon it--for it does, dearie." He sighed. "Cruella, if she is a skinwalker, can borrow the shape of anything she's killed and has the pelt of. It's dark magic, so she never need fear losing herself . . .except when she kills in that form. But a strong willed mage can overcome that."

"Do we need to start making silver bullets and stakes, Papa?" Bae asked.

Rumple shook his head. "No. Silver is only for were creatures, who because of their curse are allergic to it, and the allergy of silver-the blessed metal--kills them. That won't work against a skinwalker."

"Then what can?" Archie demanded.

Rumple thought for a moment. "Enchanted items--crossbows, spears, swords. but the most powerful enemy of a skinwalker is their own flesh--hair, skin, fingernail clippings. Get those and bind them to an object and it has the power to return them to their native form and stop them from shifting."

"That settles it. We're going back to your apartment to get your things Selene and search for something to bind that bitch," Regina said firmly.

"Be careful," Rumple warned. "Knowing her, she won't leave her hairbrush lying about with hair in it."

"I don't even want to go back there...." she sobbed fearfully.

"Then I'll go....alone," Regina said.

Rumple wove something with his magic, and it solidified into a purple ribbon. "Here, Selene. Wear this, it's a protection charm and will repel any sort of harmful compulsion spell or attack upon you. I'd do more but then she might sense it."

Selene took the ribbon and tied her hair into a ponytail with it.

'Rumple do you think it would be best if Selene stayed here and I went to the apartment myself?” Regina asked.

She was the only mage whose powers were nearly equal to his.

"It may." He looked over at the younger woman and thought she was too frazzled and upset right now to maintain the facade she needed. As anyone would be. "Go and return as quickly as you can. And if you run into a problem---call me."

"I will. You take care of them and as soon as I come back, we're gonna talk about our little Pukin the pervert problem too."

"All right. I think a strong cup of tea is in order," said the former Dark One. "Maybe with some of this in it," he pulled a small bottle of Scotch whiskey out of his pocket.

"Sweetheart, let's sit down over here," Archie said softly and helped Selene onto the sofa.

The former queen vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Rumple, you'd better put some wards up here too," Belle suggested.

"Yes, dearie," the master mage murmured, then quickly sketched several magical symbols into the air and muttered, "By my power and my name, I abjure thee to protect all here, against any that would harm or ill wish them."

"Papa, what are you doing with a mini bottle of Johnny Walker? Do the customers drive you THAT crazy?"

His father smirked. "On occasion, dearie. But no, this isn't for me. It's for emergencies. Like old Mrs. Armbruster having a fit of the vapors and passing out on my floor when she found out her heirloom emerald necklace was paste and glass."

"Rumple, you becomin’ an alkie?" Killian asked.

The sorcerer regarded the child with fond exaspration. "No, and you keep your sticky fingers off this bottle, young man, or else we're going to have another serious 'talk' in my back room about touching things that are off limits." He warned.

He was referring to a time when he had watched the little boy just before they had come to Disney and told him not to touch anything in his display case, and had gone to take a phone call, and when he'd returned, found the intrepid child uncorking a spelled bottle which held a minor djinn of a nasty disposition.

"Kay."

"Rumple, think I'll need a shot of that," Archie was saying while he cradled Selene in his arms. She looked like she was going to faint again.

 

Rumple conjured up a small shot glass and poured some into it. "Here you go."

"Thanks."

"That whatever you call it was a meanie!" Killian was saying.

Rumple shook a finger at the youngster. "Yes, which is why he was in there, so he couldn't hurt people, and YOU almost let him out without knowing what you were doing to wreak havoc."

Henry was on pins and needles waiting for Regina to return. She magicked her phone so that they could see each other while they talked.

"Henry, I'm in. Can you see the inside of the apartment good?"

"Yeah, Mom. I can," he replied.

"Okay....I'm sending Selene's suitcase now, let me know if you get it. I'm trying to reserve as much energy as I can in case Cruella shows up."

"Okay."

She waved her hand over the suitcase in the apartment and it vanished.

Then it reappeared in the suite. "Got it!" Henry told her.

At the same time, Bae was frowning at his youngest. "How come I never heard about this . . .bottle mishap?"

"Ummm...ummm..." Killian glanced over at Rumple and shrugged.

"We decided to . . . just keep it between us back then." Rumple said. "Besides, I did exactly the same thing to him as I did to you that time for playing with my sharpened shears."  
"Ya gave him a spankin an put him in time out?" Killian asked.

"Yes, and he never touched my shears again, did you, Baelfire?"

"No, Papa." He looked at his son. "I hope you learned your lesson too . . .because letting a genie out of a bottle is a lot worse than touching sewing shears."

"I'll 'member."

"Henry, tell your grandfather I found the pelts!" Regina called out over the phone.

"Grandpa! Mom found the pelts!" Henry called excitedly, waving his phone.

"Oh my God!" Selene moaned and fainted.

"You could have been a bit more tactful, lad," Rumple sighed. "Tell her not to touch them yet, it could summon Cruella back-" he began.

"Shit! She's here!" Regina cursed.

Suddenly the magical phone connection went dead as Regina severed it so she could fight Cruella.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" Cruella demanded.

She didn't know who this woman was but she had a strong aura...possibly stronger than her own. No matter. Even a mage was no match for her corpse dust.

"Surprise, darling!" Regina sneered and then sent a barrage of magical projectiles at the other woman.

Cruella smirked and turned them to dust.

"Amateurs," she scoffed.

She shifted into crow form and flew above Regina, a pouch of corpse dust dangling from her foot.

"No you don't, skinwalker!" Regina spat, and then she conjured a gust of wind that threw the crow through the apartment window. "Bye bye blackbird!"

The pouch was knocked out of Cruella's talons as she flew out the window.

"Bitch!"

Cruella flew back into the apartment and landed on one of the pelts, switching to leopard form.

She snarled but before she could tackle Regina, the former queen vanished.

"Now who's an amateur?" Regina taunted.

The leopard growled.

Regina conjured a collar and a set of chains and restrained the animal. Seeing a crow's foot hanging around her neck on a chain, Regina tore it off.

Then she conjured a bag and put the pelts in it. While she had her back turned Cruella was chanting a spell in Russian Rasputin taught her and the chains disintegrated. She was back in human form. 

"As I said...amateur," Cruella murmured. "You didn't think you were just dealing with a skinwalker, did you little sorceress?”

"Oh, would you care to enlighten me?"

"Why, when it would be more entertaining watching you die?" Cruella laughed and summoned another pouch of corpse dust from her wall safe.  
She sprinkled some of it into her hand. Regina conjured a fireball and threw it at the other woman's hand.

"You bitch! You burned me!"

"In more ways than one," Regina giggled.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping your soul from your body!" Cruella hissed and sent a lamp flying at the younger sorceress, knocking her to the floor.

A soul eater! Regina thought.

"I usually like them younger but you'll do....with all that power."

"Eat this bitch!" Regina yelled as she got to her feet and conjured a basket of rotten apple bombs. She sent them flying over to the other women and they exploded, dropping rotten fruit particles all over her. Then she conjured a pile of feces and shoved it into the shocked woman's mouth.

"You...vile...." Cruella sputtered.

Regina laughed, remembering how much fun she and the other Nevengers had doing that to Felix in Neverland.

"Betcha that tastes worse than a soul, doesn't it?"

She conjured the chains again and wrapped them around the other woman. She yanked a piece of Cruella's hair out of her head and bound it to the chains. "Try and change now....if you can."

Cruella howled with rage.

Regina knew there was a possibility the binding wouldn't hold her since she seemed to know more forms of dark magic than just skinwalking. 

Regina conjured a bag and floated the pelts and crow's foot into it, sending it back to their hotel. While she was looking around for any other animal remains the woman was using Cruella was chanting again and vanished leaving only a set of chains on the floor.

"Dammit!" Regina cried and opened the connection on her phone again. "Henry, did you get the pelts?"

"Yeah. Did you whup her ass?"

"I'll let that slide for now but we've got another serious problem. She can't shift but she escaped my binds. She's not just a skinwalker....a soul eater too and gods knows what else!"

"You'd better come back, dearie," Rumple advised.

Regina vanished again and reappeared back in the hotel suite exhausted.

She lay down on the love seat. "She was doing some sort of chant Rumple and I swear it sounded Russian."

"Dammit. That means she's in league with Putin."

"Now what are we going to do? If she's a soul eater, that means he is too!" Emma exclaimed.

"They're after us....and the baby, Emma. Cruella, especially is after the baby."

"Corpse dust," Belle murmured. "That's the other way she's killing them."

"She tried using it on me twice."

Emma cringed. "Dust from bodies as a weapon?"

"And she wants Aria for that purpose."

Emma's hands cradled her belly protectively. "Never!"

"Don't you worry, Emma. No one is going to harm my granddaughter." Rumple assured her.

“Papa, we really should at least try to let that detective know what’s going on,” Bae insisted. 

“We’ve had a game changer Bae and Detective Carlyle, even as clever as he is, cannot fight in a game with magic but we can.” his father said. 

“You have a plan?” 

“Indeed I do and it will require us to turn back into our child selves in order for it to work.” The sorcerer grinned. “Mr. Putin’s unholy desires both for souls and flesh will be his undoing and the skinwalker’s.” 

"You're going to set yourselves up as bait?!" Bae exclaimed. "Papa!"

"If we don't other children’s' lives are threatened, including Aria's and Henry's and I WILL NOT let anyone or anything harm my grandchildren!"

Bae sighed deeply. He knew his father was right but he was worried for him. Danger always seemed to find Rumple when he was his child self and he could feel the gray hairs sprouting every time the toddler put himself at risk. Now he understood too well the stress that Rumple went through every time he got in one of his scrapes as a child. 

“All right, Papa. What do you have in mind?” 

“All right, Papa. What do you have in mind?”

Belle decided to check on Archie and Selene while the others discussed their plans for Cruella and Putin. The other Nevengers would fill her in later. She made a pot of tea and carried it into the guest room. Archie was trying to make himself comfortable on the loveseat while Selene was in bed reading.

"It doesn't have a shot in it but you could use it," Belle said softly and handed the other woman one of the cups.

"Thank you," Selene murmured.

She handed the other one to Archie. "You'll need this too."

"Please tell me Rumple has a plan to stop that woman," he pleaded.

"He does...we'll be changing back to children soon. That's part of how we want to trap her and Putin."

"He reminds me of that crazy Russian monk," Archie mumbled.

Belle nearly dropped the tray she was holding. She set it down and ran out of the room in search of the other and found them still discussing their plans.

"Archie brought up something interesting: how Mr. Putin reminds him of Rasputin."

"Ra Ra Rasputin lover of the Russian queen!" Killian sang. Rumple frowned at him

"Not funny lad."

"Grandpa, Archie could be right. They shot the guy, poisoned him and drowned him and he still didn't die. What if never did and he's been feeding on souls to keep him alive?" Henry suggested.

"An he's a pervert too, goin around looking at your butt." Killian added.

"Don't remind us lad," Rumple groaned. "It makes sense. The man was known for his eccentricities and it's no surprise he is a practitioner of dark magic. Our plans stay the same. His shop is most likely where he takes the children and somewhere secret inside it. We just have to find that location."

Killian was falling asleep with the others talked. Bae put him to bed and Rumple and Regina strengthened the wards on the suite before they retired for the night.

Rasputin was ready to vomit when the scent of feces polluted his shop. He looked up from the potion he was making to see Cruella standing before him in her true form.

"What on earth did you do, fall into a sewer?" he demanded. "You could have taken a bath first!"

"We have a problem and it's another sorceress, not one we've seen before. She has my pelts and she's bound me to keep me from shifting! And....Selene is missing but worse than that...she's starting to remember!"

Rasputin smirked. "Encouraging her little affair with a psychologist to get your hands on a Dalmatian skin backfired quite nicely, didn't it?"

"Shut up!" she hissed.

"And you are correct, this does present a problem.....now the children and their parents will be on their guard now more than they have before."

"Nothing was supposed to break that spell...nothing!" Cruella raged. "How the hell could a goddamn doctor break it when I took her to the best ones around the world as a test and they couldn't even make a dent!?"

"The magic the family he's travelling with....if it's not from this world..."

Cruella laughed harshly. "Did you have a bit too much vodka tonight dear?"

"No more than usual. But it is something to think about."

She grinned. "Magic from another world...the soul of a magician from another world...the possibilities are endless."

They'd suffered a few minor setbacks but all would be as it should be around the time of the full moon.  
The next morning the Nevengers were changed back into their child selves though they still retained their adult memories and were eager to see more of Disney and do a little detective work.

They were all eating breakfast when Selene and Archie shuffled into the dining room, both having dark circles under their eyes. Selene was too terrified to sleep and when she did she had terrible nightmares, her screams waking Archie.

Rumple waved his hand and a dreamcatcher appeared in it. "Put this above your bed tonight Selene an it'll chase the bad dreams away."

"Why are you children again?"

"Cause we wanna see more of Disney an we 'vestigating, right Henry?" Regina asked her son.

"Yep."

"We're gonna put Ra Ra Rasputin in jail with some big guy named Bubba who's gonna make him...."

"Killian Gold, do you want to have Ivory for breakfast?" Emma threatened.

"Ummm...no."

"Then don't finish that sentence."

He bowed his head in shame. "Sorry, Mom."

"We're going to stay here Bae. Selene....doesn't feel safe going out of the hotel," Archie said.

"Okay."

She'd already called in to work telling them she wasn't feeling well and needed to take a vacation day. She had a feeling she would be using all of it to find another job...and another home.

Bae turned to the toddlers. "Now....you guys need to act like kids while we're in the park and be on your best behavior."

Rumple scoffed. "An how many times did I give you that speech Baelfire and you got in trouble, hmmm dearie?"

"Uhhh..."

"More'n I can count is how many!"

Selene started laughing. "I can't help it....his father is a kid...and arguing with his adult son."

"Oh, they have their moments," Emma told her.

After breakfast they all got dressed and went to the park while Archie, Selene and the Dalmatians stayed at the hotel.

They all wanted to meet Mickey Mouse this time and Rumple wanted to see if he could participate in a sketch of Fantasia. Emma had to stop and rest a few times since Aria was more active that day. The young mother suspected the baby wasn't going to wait much longer to be born.

The toddlers were keen to keep their promise to Bae to be on their best behavior but an incident near Epcott changed their minds quickly. Bae was at one of the stands getting them all some snacks and Emma was taking a short rest on one of the benches when the Nevengers spotted a group of boys surrounding another, smaller child with glasses, taunting him and snatched the balloons he was holding out of his hand.

"Hey Kev, why don't we tie em to him and see if he flies away?" asked one of them.

"Jerks!" Henry growled.

"Where the heck's the adults?" demanded Regina.

"Over there playin on their phones," Rumple said angrily, pointing to a group of teenagers in a line on their cellphones. All of them wore the same shirts as did the boys, labeling them as campers and counselors.

"Leeme alone!" yelled the small boy.

"What're ya gonna do 'bout it, shortie?" challenged one of the boys.  
"Here's what WE'RE gonna do bout it!" snarled Belle as she stomped on one's foot and smacked his backside with the book she was holding.

"An this!" Rumple swung his cane and smacked another with it.  
"How bout a little a this?" Killian smirked and kicked the boy in the groin as he lay on the ground.

Regina ran over to one of the others and yanked his underwear up. "Have fun pickin' that out jerk!"

Henry hi-fived her and shoved the remaining boy against a trashcan. "You leave him alone or we're taking the trash out....get it?" he threatened.

"Henry! Rumple, Regina, Belle…Killian! You stop that right now!" Emma yelled as she struggled to get up from the bench.

The younger boy watched with awe as children younger than he was took on the biggest bullies at Camp Mohawk and were winning!

Several of his fellow campers ran over to the scene and started cheering. "Yeah! Give it em!"

"That's enough!" Emma barked.

Everyone froze.  
"Now do you want to tell me what is going here?" she demanded of her children.

"Emma, they was pickin on this kid!" Rumple protested.

"And what have we told you about fighting?"

"Umm....not to do it. But..."

"No buts! You should've come over and got me and you all know what we have to do, don't you?"

She gave them all a Disappointed Look. "And Henry, you certainly know better!"

"I know Mom."

The group of teenagers came up to them. "What's going on?"

"Ya'd know if you was payin' 'ttention 'stead of playin' on your phone!" Rumple snapped.

"They was picking on me!" cried the little boy, pointing at the group of sore older ones. "They always pick on me an you don't care!"

"Yeah!" added one of the other children. "You suck! You let em pick on us cause you think it's cool!"

Emma glared at the counselors. "Just what kind of joint are you running where you encourage bullying?"

"Mind your own business lady," one of them said smartly. Belle snuck up behind him and smacked him with her book.

"You don't talk like that to Emma, you creep!"

"Well I'll be having a talk with whoever runs the place and you might want to look for another summer job," Emma said stiffly.  
"You tell em Emma!" Regina hooted.

Bae returned with the snacks, groaning with frustration when he realized the kids had gotten into trouble...again.

They sat all of the children down, lecturing them again, Bae giving them a speech is father often gave him when he got in fights. "The best fight is one you can walk away from. You all could've gotten hurt. I know you meant well but next time you need to come find an adult."

"Now we want you to sit here and think about why what you did was wrong," Emma said sternly. "Consider this your time out…and Henry....you'll be handing over your tablet."

"Mom!"

"Do you want to lose the phone as well? Don't argue with me."

He sighed. "Okay Mom."  
The kids were miserable during their time out but they'd learned their lesson, the next time they would do as they were told and find an adult.

An hour later the group went in search of Mickey Mouse. 

Rasputin was looking forward to another day of searching for souls when the door to his shop opened and one of the banes to his existence walked in, that meddling detective.

Nick walked up to where he was behind the counter and said, "How's business, Putin? Looks like those toys are flying off the shelves, eh?"

"Have you thought of taking a comedy class Detective," the shop owner countered bitterly. "You could use it."

Insolent bastard, he seethed inwardly. How I would love to see you thrown on a rack and your entrails fed to demons!

Nick smirked. "You're a pretty funny guy yourself. You need to lighten up. Maybe listen to some music." He pressed a button on his phone. "Like this." A familiar song began playing and a voice sang, "Ra Ra Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen!" Nick leaned on the counter, watching the other's face. "Catchy, isn't it?"

"Irritating is more like it!" The monk wanted to find the imbecile who wrote the trash and the group that sang it and dissolve them in acid.

Nick flicked the button off, thinking it might be slightly petty but he'd gotten Putin's goat with that little stunt, and he wanted the man off balance, since then they slipped up. And he was sure that the man was not at all what he seemed. He might LOOK legit but there was scum lurking below the surface.

"Now is there something pressing you need to speak to me about Detective or are you just here to irritate me for your own amusement with silly music and tasteless jokes?"

"About that incident yesterday with the Gold boy . . .you were rather unsympathetic and nasty. Kind of a strange attitude for someone who has children around constantly." The detective's gaze sharpened. "I'm wondering, is that why so few children leave here happy?"

"Would you be pleased if someone vomited on you, Detective. I think not. And despite your opinion on the matter, it was intentional. That boy is a brat who deserves to have his backside thrashed."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Really? You'd beat a kid because he got sick? You forget, I saw the whole thing."

"Your opinion on the matter is somewhat biased."

The older man glowered at the detective.

"You were in the wrong time and place. And accidents happen. But the question remains-why WERE you even over there at that time? The afternoon, after lunch . . .shouldn’t you have been here, minding your shop? Are you that slow you can afford to close your business during one of the busiest hours of operation?" Nick pressed.

"If you must know I take my lunch late in the afternoon and my customers usually visit earlier in the day when the park is not so crowded," Rasputin lied coolly.

Nick cocked an eyebrow. "You say that like it's a bad thing. I thought retail owners liked it when things got busy--more opportunities for customers to buy," he pressed thinking, you lie like a rug! You were following that family!

His instincts were screaming that here was a child molester and he longed for the good old days when he could have shoved the bastard against a wall and made him talk.

Rasputin reached under the counter and took out his ledger, opening it to his list of sales for that day.

All of them had been Cruella....in different forms.

"There. You see, Detective...I had many customers that day and not all of them have children. Many are collectors."

Nick studied the ledger, thinking how easily such things could be doctored. He knew there was something fishy going on, he just couldn't pin his finger on it.

"Or you can view the security tapes if you'd like," Rasputin added swiftly.

He's hiding something, dammit! I know it. Nick swore. Then he said, "No, I've seen enough." The tapes more than likely would have been altered as well, and without some kind of warrant, he couldn't take them and have them analyzed for tampering.

Then he tossed out another barb. "Just out of curiosity . . .do you even like kids, Putin?"

"When they are not brats, yes."

"All kids are brats sometimes," the detective drawled, speaking from experience. "You have kids?" He knew the man was single, but that didn't mean he always was.

"Three...." Rasputin murmured.

"You have three kids? They live with their mother? Or are they old enough to be on their own?"

He hadn't thought about Marie, Dimiri and Varvara in such a long time. "They are...adults now..."

"Once there were five...but my sons....died young..."

"I see. That can be tough. They here in the US? Or back in Russia?"  
"They are in Russia."

And all of them would have been ashamed to see what their father had become.

He hadn't pegged Putin as a family man . . .and now he had some new leads to follow up on. "It must be lonely here without your family," Carlyle said. "Your wife . . .she pass on?"

"She did."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"I wish not to talk about it anymore."

Carlyle nodded. Funny, how the background checks hadn't mentioned Putin's wife or children though.

His beloved daughter Maria had defended her father's name until the day of her death and now he shamed her memory with his debauchery.

He never saw her or his grandchildren. It was the price he paid for his dark deeds.

And he had no regrets.

He watched with great pleasure as Mother Russia seemed to collapse within itself and his prediction that that the royal family would die within a year came true...with a little assistance on his part. After all, hadn't they deserved it when they banished him?

They may have written songs to mock him but none could deny that he was now a legend, one both feared and admired. It was quite a step up from his humble beginnings.

Even if the damned song irritated him, he was enough of a legend to have one.

However it was not as creative as Cruella's.

"Was there something else you needed Detective?"

He wanted to get the nuisance out of his shop quickly

Nick decide to back off for now, besides he now had some new names to run through the database and see what came up.

"No, thank you, Mr. Putin," he said politely and walked out, his fingers already punching an inquiry into the police database.

After he left Rasputin locked the shop and continued his search.

Elsewhere in the park the children were waiting to see the legendary mouse barely able to contain their excitement.

They had waited on line to get pictures with his sidekicks Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. Belle and Regina got pictures with Minnie.

Henry added more pictures and video to the Nevengers Adventures album.

"So when're you an Mickey gonna have kids?" Belle asked Minnie.  
"Yeah isn't your clock ticking?" added Regina.

Minnie giggled. "Maybe someday soon . . .and since I'm a mouse . . .I don't have a clock to worry about."

"So how bout you duck? You gonna have kids?"

"Uh . . .you'd have to ask Daisy," Donald stammered. "But I've got three nephews."

"Yeah but you gotta have kids too."

Henry had to walk away, he was laughing so hard.

Rumple appeared and grabbed Belle's hand. "C'mon, we gotta get on line to see the Sorcerer's 'Prentice show!"

"Ya think they'll let us be in it?"

"I dunno," he shrugged.

"Hope so."

"Good luck!" Donald said. "Sometimes Mickey chooses a kid to help him."

"You should be Rumple!"

"Guess we'll see," said the little pawnbroker. He would like to, since Fantasia was one of his favorite movies, but he wasn't betting on it.  
"I wanna help too," Regina cried.

"We're never gonna get the chance less we're over there," Rumple pointed out.

"We're going!"

They filed into the big auditorium where Mickey was scheduled to do his show from the Sorcerer's Apprentice. Because they had Fast Passes and Rumple was disabled, they got to get front row seats by the stage.

"Now they gotta pick ya mate," Killian whispered.

"Prolly pick the crip," a boy behind them grouched.  
"Yeah pity pick," said his companion.

Killian turned around. "Ya wanna knuckle sandwich?"

"Well, if they picked you it'd be outta pity cause you're so ugly you look like roadkill!" Regina growled.

"You look like something my dog puked up!"

Bae turned around and said coldly, "Now that's enough. Mickey is the only one who decides who is going to help or not, but if you misbehave, you get ordered to leave the building and miss the show."

One of the boys kicked the back of Rumple's seat.

Bae's eyes narrowed. "Knock it off, before you don't even get to see the show, kid!"

"Derek!" His father cuffed him on the back of the head.

Bae turned back around and asked Rumple if he was okay.

"I'm okay Bae."

Bae hoped the show started soon . . .and the brats in back of them behaved before he blew a gasket. He also hoped Mickey did pick Rumple . . . because Rumple deserved it.

One of the boys elbowed Derek and showed him a straw and in it he had a spitball ready to launch.

Derek gave him a thumbs up when his father wasn't looking.

The other boy blew threw the straw and the spitball landed on the back of Rumple's neck.

The boys started laughing.

Rumple wiped it off and turned and glared at them. "Think that's funny do ya?" he began.

The boy raised the straw again and blew through it, another spitball sticking to Rumple's forehead.

Rumple wanted badly to use his magic to give the bully a real beatdown, but he didn't dare. Instead he did something else . . .he silently summoned the usher whose job it was to make sure all the kids were behaving before the show. Then he said loudly, "Quit shooting spitballs at me, you dumb butt!"

"Are we having some trouble here?" the usher demanded.

"Yeah! That kid keeps spitting spitballs at me and kicking the back of my seat. And I was mindin' my own business!"

"Was not ya liar!"

"Derek!" his father yelled.

The usher frowned when he saw the spitball plastered to Rumple's forehead. "That looks like a spitball to me."

"An here's the other one," he showed him the one that had been on the back of his neck."

"We don't tolerate that kind of behavior here. I'm afraid you'll have to leave," the usher said coldly to the boys and the father accompanying them.

They all glared at Rumple.

"I'm very sorry," their harried father apologized. "You are all in so much trouble!" he snapped at his sons. "What am I raising here, a pack of wild animals? Your mom's gonna kill you . . .and me too."

"It's that crip's fault!" Derek protested. "Why's he have to get special treatment. Needs to learn to walk right like everybody else!"

Belle wanted to send Mister common Sense after this jerk.

"Is that what you think?" Rumple demanded. "That I'm like this cause I want to be treated different? Then you don't know nothin'! I got this way in an accident . . .and some kids are born this way! It's got nothin' t'do with wantin' things. An' makin' fun of kids like me show's you're an ignorant idiot! You oughta think fore you open up your mouth, 'fore I sue ya for discrimination!"

The usher smirked. The little boy talked just like a lawyer.

"Sue schmoo!" Derek blew a raspberry at him while they were being escorted out.

The father turned several shades of red. "Forgive my son . . .his mouth's two steps ahead of his brain. Let's go--now! Where the heck did I go wrong? I'm almost ashamed to know you, young man!" he cried as he led the three away. "And none of you are getting any dessert and you're gonna have a hard time sitting down tonight for supper once your mom finds out about this atrocious behavior!"

"Good riddance," Emma muttered.

Bae shook his head. "If I were him, I'd not wait till you got home; I'd have warmed their butts soon as we got in the door."

"Enjoy the show, sir" said the usher, thinking that sometimes that was just what some of these kids needed.

"It's starting," Belle whispered to Rumple.

Rumple smiled and clapped his hands, the previous incident forgotten as Mickey came out on the stage dressed in his Sorcerer's Apprentice outfit.

Kids cheered and clapped wildly.

Mickey waved to all of them and said, "Hello, boys and girls! Are you all ready to go on a magical journey with me?"

All the kids screamed, "Yes!"

"Good! Then let's go all the way back in time--way back--to a time when magic was still practiced here . . ."

As he gestured, the stage spun around and green and red smoke billowed up behind him.

When the smoke cleared, the stage now looked like the inside of a castle, with a very deep stone well.

The children all gasped in awe.  
"Cool!" Killian exclaimed.

"This is the castle of the wise old sorcerer Yen Sid," Mickey told them. "Yen Sid was a powerful sorcerer . . .and he made many things to help him bring light and hope to the world. Like his magic hat."

Mickey showed them the hat on his head.

"This hat could do many things . . .when commanded by its master . . and one day Yen Sid took his apprentice--" he gestured to himself. "--and used the hat to help an old woman with her chores."

An old woman hobbled onto the stage with her crooked cane, and a small house appeared behind her.

So did the tall figure of the sorcerer, with the hat on his head. And the hat glowed and brooms and mops animated themselves and began cleaning the old woman's cottage.

"The old woman was so happy, she thanked Yen Sid for his kindness and baked him a special cake."

The old woman handed the sorcerer a large chocolate cake.

"Well, I saw what my master had done and I wished I could do it too. But . . .I forgot that my master told me to NEVER touch his magic items without asking him first." Mickey put his hands to his mouth.

Rumple slanted a glance at Killian. "Boy, does that sound familiar."

"Ummm....yeah," he said sheepishly.

"So . . .one day Yen Sid went out and left me a list of chores he wanted me to do before he came back. Like wash the castle floors and sweep the hall and wash the dishes." Mickey held up his fingers.

"And I thought--uh oh! That's an awful lotta work . . .and then I saw his hat on the shelf," he continued. He went over to the shelf and climbed on a chair to get the hat down, then he set it on his head.

"So I took his hat and I tried to use it to make it help me."

He gestured with his hands at the mop and the broom.

Nothing happened.

Frowning, Mickey took off the hat and peered in it. Then he put it back on his head and gestured again.

Still nothing happened.

"S'what happened when I tried to open the bottle the first time," Killian whispered to Rumple.

"Uh oh! It's not working!" Mickey cried. "What should I do?"

"And you shoulda quit while you were ahead," Rumple hissed back.

Some of the kids cried, "Put the hat down!"

Others yelled, "Try again!"

But Rumple cried, "You gotta believe Mickey!"

Mickey chuckled. "Who said that?"

Rumple waved his hand. "I did! Over here!"

"Now he's gonna pick you for sure!" Belle beamed.

Mickey came to the edge of the stage and said, "That's correct! If you believe, you can do anything! Even magic!" He beckoned to Rumple. "Come up here, young man! I need someone who believes in magic to help me."

"YAY!" the Nevengers cheered.

Rumple slid off his seat and limped onto the stage. "Hi. I'm Rumple."

Mickey shook his hand. "Pleased to meet ya, Rumple! I'm Mickey." He pulled out another hat like his and put it on his head. "Now . . .we need to believe really hard. Think you can do it?"

Rumple nodded. "Uh huh."

"Piece a cake for him," Regina bragged.

"Okay. Ready? Do what I do."

Mickey gestured at the brooms and mops. So did Rumple.

At first nothing happened.

Then the brooms and mops began to shimmer with magical light.

"Ooooo!" screamed the other children.

Mickey turned back to the audience. "Now we might need your help too. So on the count of three, I want you all to say---I believe in magic. Okay!"

Mickey began counting.

"One . . two . . . THREE!"

"I believe in magic!" all the children yelled.

And the shimmering around the mops and brooms increased.

"Now, Rumple, let's try this again!" Mickey said, and he rolled up his sleeves and gestured.

Rumple followed . . .and the brooms and mops suddenly grew hands and became animated like in the movie.

"Rumple coulda done that easy," Regina whispered to Belle.

"I know but he's gotta act normal now."

"YAY!" All the kids screamed and clapped.

The Fantasia music began to play and as Mickey and Rumple pointed to the well, the brooms and mops marched over and began filling up buckets of water.

Mickey and Rumple directed them to clean the floor, and others to wash all the dishes in soapy water.

Soon the stage floor was covered in soapy water.

"Uh oh.....now they're gonna get in trouble..." Killian whispered.

He certainly had when Rumple saw the Djinn on the loose.

Mickey turned back to the audience. "The castle was sparkling clean and soon all the chores I had were done."

He turned back to the mops and brooms washing the floor and cried, "STOP!"

But the mops and brooms kept right on getting water from the well and washing the floor.

"I said STOP!" Mickey yelled, gesturing frantically. He indicated Rumple should also.

The two yelled stop at the brooms and mops.

But nothing stopped them . . .as they were not the hat's true master.

Their hats glowed . . .and the mops kept right on washing and washing . . until the whole castle was filled with water.

"Uh oh now they gots the Johnstown flood goin," Regina mumbled.

"Awww!" groaned all the children.

Mickey took Rumple and said, "Maybe you'd better leave now. The water's awfully high . . ."

Rumple shook his head. "But I wanna help."

"I don't think you can," said Mickey sadly. "There's only one person who can now and he's---"

Suddenly thunder boomed and Yen Sid stood there in all his might. "What is the meaning of this?"

Mickey stepped in front of Rumple. "Umm . . .well, you see, sir . . ."

Yen Sid saw the hat on Mickey's head. He gestured and said, "Halt!"

All the buckets and mops stopped washing and cleaning.

Then Yen Sid took the hat off Mickey's head. "You touched my hat, apprentice! You disobeyed me . . .and how can I have an apprentice who doesn't listen?" Scowling, the sorcerer pointed to the door of the castle. "I should dismiss you, right now!"

Mickey bowed his head in shame.

Normally this was when the play would end. But Rumple spoke up.

"No! Master, everyone makes mistakes," the boy said, coming out from behind Mickey. "Won't you forgive him and give him another chance?"

A startled Yen Sid stared at Rumple. "What? You want me to forgive my apprentice?"

"Yes. Cause . . .sometimes we do bad things and get in trouble but . . .if we're sorry, our parents forgive us."

"Oh?" Yen Sid crossed his arms. Then he lofted an eyebrow and said, "Let me think."

He paced up and down the stage, then at last he came back to Rumple and Mickey. "Very well! I shall not dismiss you . . . BUT you will clean this castle from top to bottom without magic . . .and next time keep your hands off my magic hat!" he scolded fiercely.

"I will, Master," Mickey promised.

Bae was grinning. "Reminds me of Papa’s punishments."

The audience cheered wildly and the stage swirled again and the castle vanished and Mickey bowed to Rumple and whispered, "That was a great ad lib, kid! Maybe you ought to be in pictures!" He shook Rumple’s hand again and then escorted him back to his seat, saying, "Keep the hat for remembrance, my fellow apprentice!"

All the children cheered.

Mickey returned to the stage and said, "So that's the story of the Sorcerer's Apprentice!"

He bowed to them all, and the curtain came down.

"That was awesome!" Henry hugged his grandfather.

Rumple smiled. "I always thought his master should have punished him and given him a second chance. It's what I would have done!"

"Yeah an don't I know it," Killian mumbled.

An usher approached and said to Bae and Emma, "Hello. We'd like to get your names so we can credit you when we make you a copy of the play. The execs were so impressed with your son that they'd like to change the play's ending to show Yen Sid being merciful. And get your permission to show this version on a special channel here in the park so everyone who stays here can see it."

"Rumple you're gonna be a movie star!" Killian exclaimed.

"Great now he's gonna have lotsa girls chasing him," Belle complained.

The usher chuckled. "Umm . . .he's a little young for that!" He took down Bae and Emma's names and Rumple's and had both of them sign an agreement allowing the studio to show the play with Rumple in it which they had taped on all the TV's in the park hotels.

Rumple read the agreement carefully making certain all was in order before Bae signed.

"We'd also like to give you these free passes to the park and to a free 6 day stay at any of the park hotels as well as to Universal Studios and Sea World for a day's admission for you and your family. It's the studio’s way of thanking you for coming up with that brilliant ending."

"Thank you. The kids will love it." Emma said.

"We hope you enjoy your stay at the Magic Kingdom and please come back and visit again," the usher said.

"Oh we will!

"The tape should arrive at your room tonight," he added.  
Archie and Selene spent most of the day doing searches online for any articles about her parents. She wanted to find them but was terrified they'd think she was a fraud.

Finally she found one written six months earlier about the couple's hopes that their daughter still lived...and they still lived on the farm she remembered.

She decided she would go to England to see him and to her surprise, he wanted to go with her.

"You do?"

"Of course I do."

She stopped believing in love at first sight a long time ago but Archie Hopper had a way of changing a girl's mind.

"We're mad, you know that? Completely mad," she said softly.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he said and kissed her.

She was suddenly reminded of her favorite scene in Bridget Jones' Diary. "Nice boys don't kiss like this..."

"Oh yes we do," he chuckled and kissed her again to prove it.

"At least I'm not in my knickers in the middle of a snowstorm. I never quite got that part..." But like Bridget she was certain now she'd found her Mr. Darcy.

They were too focused on each other to realize they now had company.  
Belle and Regina started giggling at the sight of the two kissing on the couch, while Killian, always the most direct one, blurted, "Hey, you been doin' the nasty while we was gone?"

Archie flushed scarlet. "Ummm...no...."

"Cause if you are, you better marry her quick," Rumple lectured.

Selene buried her face in Archie’s shoulder and laughed. "You thought we were shagging?"

"What's Shaggy gotta do with it?" Killian asked.

"Umm not Shaggy...shagging...it's ahhh what we say in England ..."

"Never mind, Selene!" Archie cried. The last thing they needed to do was teach the kids British slang terms for sex.

"You need to get your own room?" Emma teased. "Things looked pretty heated in here."

'We were just kissing! Nothing else!" Archie protested.

"Didja give her the tongue?" Killian inquired.

"That is none of your business Killian Gold!"

"You did. You did, you did, you did! Your face is as red as your hair!” the little pirate teased.

Belle hopped onto the couch beside Selene. "Sooooo...did he make your toes curl?"

Oh yes, Selene thought dreamily.

"An when are ya gettin married? Better do it before you get a bun in the oven."

"Well, ahhhh, we just started dating...and..."

"You're almost to home plate," Killian reminded Archie.

"And you know too much about that stuff for your age!" Bae said sharply.

"Sorry Dad."

"We spent most of the day trying to find my parents," Selene said.

"You have any luck?" Henry asked. 

She nodded. "They still live on the farm and I'd like to go see them....Archie said he'd come with me…” 

"You're not gonna leave now, are you?" Belle asked sadly.

"No, not yet," Archie assured her.

"So what did you do today?" Selene asked them.

"Umm we hadta deal with some bullies an now Rumple's a big shot movie star!' Regina answered.

"What?" the couple gasped.

"Big time! M'on my way out makin it!" Killian sang.

"Ummm....I got to do "Sorcerer's Apprentice with Mickey," Rumple explained.

"I wish we could have seen it. I'm sure you were good," Archie said.

"Actually, you can see it," Bae said. "They're sending us a DVD of the show . . .and also putting it on the free TV channels in all the hotels because Rumple made up an alternate ending to the play."

"Well then I guess we'll have to watch it now, won't we?" Selene smiled at the toddler. "You know you are adorable as a little boy," she said and ruffled his hair.

Rumple blushed.

"Yeah but he's my husband...You gots your own boyfriend!" Belle huffed.

"I know sweetie."

"Now, there's no need to be jealous, Belle," Rumple said. "Selene and Archie are true love just like us, and nothing comes between a couple like that. It's forever, dearie."

And Archie and Selene were starting to believe it.

"Why don't I make us some popcorn for the movie?" Emma suggested.

The kids cheered.

"Any special requests?"

"Popcorn with cinnamon sugar?" Henry asked.

"Comin up, kid!"

As Emma was making the popcorn in the kitchenette microwave, there was a knock on their suite door. It was a bellhop delivering the DVD and the package of tickets and hotel options they'd been told about.

The kids sat on the floor in front of the TV, Emma and Bae were on the sofa and Archie and Selene on the love seat. Though it was just a staged performance, they all knew Rumple's plea to Yen Sid had been from his heart, and spoken from experience. There were people that made mistakes and deserved second chances...and in the basement of a toy shop were two people who would never deserve them for evil was too deeply rooted in them.


	7. Storm The Lair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple and Regina face off against Cruella and Rasputin to save Detective Carlyle's children.

7

~ Storm The Lair ~

Though it was risky Emma and Bae agreed that they would have to let at least one more person know their secret and that was Detective Carlyle. The police officer was facing two very dangerous enemies who used dark magic and to fight them he needed magic.

And among them were four of the most powerful practitioners of it.

Rumple was able to summon some of the books he had on skin walkers and soul eaters from his shop and stacked them on the floor for everyone to look through.

Half of them would be doing research on Rasputin, the other half on skinwalkers. Belle also suggested Rumple summon some of the books on Russian history from the Storybrooke library in case there were some clues in them. She knew the history stacks like the back of her hand and was able to give him the exact location of the books.

Regina called Robin and asked him to look in her vault to see if her mother left any of her spell books behind. Regina avoided going through Cora's belongings like the plague after they were turned back into adults again, not wanting to be haunted by painful memories of life with her mother.

Archie decided to put Selene under hypnosis to see if she could remember anything else about Cruella that could help them, little details she may not have noticed before.

Though true love's kiss had unlocked Selene's early childhood memories he still felt there was more she'd been programmed to forget. She was always uneasy when her own therapist conducted the sessions but she trusted Archie and knew he would stop the session if she needed him to.

There was a knock at the door while Rumple, Belle and Regina were looking through some Navajo texts while Henry kept Killian distracted playing a game on the X-Box.

Bae got up to answer it with Pongo and Perdy at his heels ready to bite anyone who would harm the family.

"Detective Carlyle...we were about to call you," Bae said.

"Is something wrong?" the detective inquired worriedly. Perdy growled at him until Pongo started barking at her, assuring her the detective meant no harm.

"Ummm...maybe you'd better sit down," Emma offered. "Guys, make some room!" she ordered Henry and Killian. "And turn the game off. You can play it later."

"Okay, Mom."

Detective Carlyle glanced down at the toddlers on the floor, puzzled when he noticed they were reading books on Navajo customs and…magic? He expected them to be reading fairy tales, not that!

"Umm…isn't that stuff a bit too…advanced for you?" he quizzed Rumple.

"You'll understand soon 'nough, dearie," Rumple assured him. "Henry, tell 'im what we found out 'bout Cruella."

Henry went into his room and brought out the printouts from British newspapers about Cruella De Vil, also known as 'Cruella The Butcher.'

At first the detective thought it was some sort of joke but he kept on reading. He would have to confirm everything with the authorities in England but it wasn't any more bizarre than what he learned from the Russian authorities. Grigori Putin's visa and everything else about him was fake. The names he ran through came back with a match, just not one he was expecting.

Why on Earth would the toy shop owner give personal details matching those of the infamous Rasputin?

He set the articles aside. "It looks like you've been doing some detective work on your own...but what does this have to do with...?"

"Cruella n' Rasputin are workin together!" Rumple exclaimed.

"Rasputin? THE Rasputin?"

"Uh-huh! The creepy toy guy is Rasputin an Cruella De Vil is the real Cruella De Vil but she's worse'n the cartoon one," Regina spoke up. "I should know. I fought her an she got away."

"What?!"

"S'why Mom tole ya you need to sit down 'Tective cause what we havta tell ya is gonna be real hard to believe," Killian piped up.

"I'm already having trouble believing a puppy coat wearing Disney villain is real and you're telling me an early twentieth century mad monk is working with her?"

"You're going to have to believe it, Detective Carlyle because you're going to need our help to beat them," said Emma.

"Oh no. You are not interfering in a police investigation!" he snapped.

"You know how to fight a magical creature?" Rumple quizzed. "No you don't, dearie. But WE do!"

"This little joke of yours has gone far enough!"

"Guess you better show him, Rumple," Belle advised.

"Right." Rumple waved his hand and changed them back into adults. Nick blinked his eyes several times, pondering whether he should get glasses, was in the middle of his worst nightmare or had too much to drink.

"What the hell...?" he gasped.

"Cruella De Vil isn't the only Disney character that's real," Rumple informed him.

"Wait just a minute! Are ye tryin to tell me that...!?"

"I am Rumplestiltskin, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast and the crocodile from Peter Pan though I don't particularly like that bit. Belle is Belle, Regina is the Evil Queen from Snow White and..."

"I usta be Cap'n Hook but I wanted to stay a kid!" Killian said. "An Archie is Jiminy Cricket."

"Either I drank too much last night or I'm going insane!"

"No, you're not going insane, Detective. They're telling the truth," Bae insisted.

"You're telling me you're some crazy imp who can spin straw into gold, she's a fairy tale princess and she poisons people with apples?!"

"Oh come on. I don't do that anymore. I'm reformed!" Regina protested. The others laughed.

"We know this is a lot to take in Detective, but we're telling the truth and you have to believe us. If you try to go up against Cruella and Rasputin alone, they will kill you," Rumple insisted.

"And you think you can beat them? How?"

"Magic," Rumple explained.

"You...you have magic?"

"Yes."

He pinched himself to try to wake himself from a dream but he found himself in the same place looking at three adults who were once children now claiming to be fairy tale characters. He was never touching another bottle of alcohol again.

"Can you make a pot of gold appear?" Nick asked.

Rumple smiled and waved his hand. A small pot of gold appeared in Nick's lap. He picked up one of the coins and tried to bite into it, nearly breaking his tooth.

Unlike most people he wouldn't take advantage of the older man's special gift. He was still having trouble not seeing the little boy in the man who looked to be about his age.

"Does that satisfy your curiosity, dearie?"

"It does. Now what makes you all suspect Grigori Putin is Rasputin aside from his name?"

"We mages can sense things about people and we sensed something was not right about Putin the first day we walked into the toy shop. And we've learned from our reading that Rasputin was known to have some very eccentric interests and finding ways to be immortal would be one of them. Dark magicians usually do this by devouring souls. Childrens' souls are the most sought after."

Nick's face paled. "You think...that's what's been happening to those children..."

"It's not pleasant to think about but unfortunately it may be the truth," Regina spoke up.

"And we may be able to shed some light on those mysterious deaths you're investigating too," said Belle. "Those, we're certain Cruella is responsible for." Belle handed him the other book opened to the texts on skinwalkers. "She has the ability to change forms either from souls she's taken or something from an animal...pelts are the most common."

Pongo and Perdy whined.

"Go on..." The poor detective looked like he was about to vomit.

"Also she uses something called corpse dust and it's exactly what it sounds like...made from human remains, infants being the most sought after. The description you're reading there of how it kills should be matching what your coroner has been finding as the cause of death in your victims."

"She tried attacking me with it while taking the form of a crow but in human form she can blow it in the faces of her victims," Regina explained. "And we won't know until he's finished his hypnosis session with her but Archie may be able to find out from Selene if they spent any time on a Navajo reservation because that is where she would have learned such magic."

"She...attacked you...as a crow?"

"She shifted into crow and leopard form when I fought her. And we all know she could have shifted into the lion stolen from the Animal Kingdom if she had his pelt."

Nick's hands clenched into fists. If what they were saying was true and this woman was responsible for Brian's death, he wanted to tear her limb from limb!

"Now do you see why you need our help, Detective?" Emma asked. "In a fight like this, there's no one better to have your back than Regina and Rumple. They're the two most powerful magic users in our world. Me and Henry...we're still learning."

"Yeah but I don't have magic and Belle don't either but we can still kick butt an take names!" Killian cried.

"You're all staying out of this," Rumple said firmly.

"Papa!" Bae exclaimed.

"Don't 'Papa' me Baelfire Gold! Regina and I have the most experience with dark magic and we are the ones who must face Cruella and Rasputin. And I want my daughter-in-law, my wife and my grandchildren safe."

"Papa, you're going to be kids when you go after him..."

"As long as I have this, I can remember my adult self and change us at will," Rumple held up his pendant. "Them not knowing we are adults under a deaging spell gives us the advantage."

"Grandpa, they don't just want you and Mom, they want all of us," Henry pointed out. "What if they try to divide and conquer?"

Nick's phone rang while he was listening to them talk. he looked down at the display and saw his wife's number. "Hello? WHAT?! I'm on my way! Stay there I AM ON MY WAY!"

The phone fell out of his hand. "My kids...THEY HAVE MY KIDS!" he screamed. "Whatever you want to do...DO IT!"he ordered the group. "Just...help me get my kids back!"

"What's going on out here?" Archie demanded when he and Selene ran into the room.

"Cruella an Rasputin took 'Tective Carlyle's kids!" Killian cried fearfully.

"Oh my God!" Selene moaned.

"Regina, go with him and put wards on his home!" Rumple ordered. "Archie, get my family on the first flight out of here!"

"You are NOT going into that toy shop without me!" Belle shouted.

"Come on, Detective, let's get you home..." Regina said gently.

"I should've been there..." he sobbed. "They...they attacked my wife...she's in the hospital..."

"Then we'll go there first and set up wards. Rumple, you are not going in that toy shop alone. Understand me?"

"The longer we wait..."

"I know. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She put her arm around the detective's shoulders and teleported them out, knowing it would be faster than taking the car.

They reappeared outside the hospital where no one would see them. Nick was shaking when she led him inside. Several of his fellow officers were waiting for him to explain what happened while he waited for his wife to come out of surgery.

Regina used a spell that would allow her to hear conversations at a distance and enchanted her compact mirror so that Rumple could hear it too on the mirror at the hotel.

"Your neighbors described the woman as a petite blond in her early twenties...she...she hit Peri with a crowbar..."

Nick collapsed in a chair and buried his face in his hands. "Bobby...Annie..." he sobbed.

"We're gonna get em back, Nick We're gonna get em back!" vowed one of the officers.

"Rumple, are you hearing this?" Regina whispered.

"She must be using a soul to change human forms..."

"I think it would be best if Detective Carlyle stayed here with his wife," Regina suggested. "I know it's going to be hard but...in his mental state, he could get hurt."

"I agree, dearie. Ward his house and ward the hospital then come back here and we'll get ready."

"I want a piece of those two badly," the former Evil Queen murmured.

"As do I, dearie."

Back at the hotel, a protest was being launched by Rumple's family, Archie, Selene and the dogs.

"We have no idea if this will even work. They could follow us!" Archie argued.

"You heard me, cricket! Get my family out of here!"

"And how the hell am I going to stop them if they decide they'll come back with two of them able to use magic to do so? They're all as stubborn as you are and they are NOT going to go willingly."

"I'll sit on the damn floor and start yelling 'Hell No I Won't Go!'" Belle threatened.

"I'll get Hatter's hat and bring us back here," added Bae.

"Will ye all be reasonable!" Rumple cried.

"WE ARE!" they yelled in unison.

Rumple threw up his hands. "What in HELL is reasonable about you all risking your lives?" he shouted. He pointed to Bae. "Baelfire, you've got two young kids to worry about and your wife's about to give you another! You want them to grow up without you? Damn you, boy, use your head! Magic fights magic, you've known that your whole life. Against a dark practitioner, you're a liability, you can be used against us! And they know it."

"He's right," Archie said.

"Look what happened when my family went up against Cruella," Selene reminded them. "My nanny was killed...and what about the Romanov family? You know what was done to them..."

"Please . . .they know my family is my greatest weakness . . .and if . . .if you're there, I'll be worried about protecting you, and not able to focus the way I need to. I need to be able to fight on their level . . .and I can't if I'm trying to protect you at the same time. If my attention is divided, Rasputin can hurt me badly. I need you to be safe. Then I can fight and make the bastard pay."

"We could go to England...?" Selene suggested.

"Anywhere away from here," Rumple sighed.

Belle burst into tears. "We just don't want to lose you..."

He went and hugged her. "Sweetheart, I don't plan on going anywhere. But as the Master of All Magic I have a duty to stop these rogue mages. I have to do this. But I don't have to watch my family in danger."

"Ahh Rumple n Regina can kick their butts to Hell for Lucifie's stew pot!" Killian said confidently.

"Grandpa, I can help you fight!" Henry spoke up.

"No!" yelled his parents.

"Absolutely not, Henry Mills Gold!" Regina said sternly when she reappeared.

Rumple spun on him. "Not another word! You're an apprentice mage, just what these rogues are looking for. It'd be like giving them a Christmas feast if I let you go in there."

"But . . .you said it yourself . . .it's what they want," he protested. "So we give them what they want . . .only with a sucker punch."

"Are you suggesting you make yourself the bait?! No! I won't have it!" Regina yelled.

"It's like the Trojan horse, Mom!" her son argued. "It worked for Odysseus!"

"That's what WE will be," Regina insisted.

"We're not Greeks, and no way in hell am I letting you go in there!" Bae interrupted. "I'll lock you in your room and tie you to the bed if I have to."

"You're a worrywort, Dad, just like Grandpa," his son said, his chin jutting out.

"Henry, Rumple and Regina need to do this alone. It's like Rumple said...we will only be a disadvantage," Emma insisted.

"But I want to help! I'm not a little kid like Killian. I want to do more than just wait and see what happens."

"Huh? I oughta kick ya in the nuts for that!" Killian said angrily.

"Why? It's true!" his brother snapped.

"Aww that's it...m'gonna sterilize ya, ya jerk!" The little pirate glared at him "An m'not just sittin by an watchin to see what happens cause I KNOW Rumple n Regina can whup their asses cause I seen em whup Pan's ass...so there!"

"Stop it, the pair of you!" Bae ordered sharply. He went and grabbed Killian. "Unless you both want to have a sore butt."

"Ummm...no..." Killian covered his backside.

"And fighting about it isn't helping!" Emma shouted.

"Dad, you wouldn't!" Henry began.

"You're not too old, mister, so don't test me," Bae warned.

"Does this happen a lot?" Selene inquired.

"It does in a family that actually gives a damn about each other," Archie answered.

"Henry, your job will be to protect your mother, your father, your grandmother, your brother and your sister," Regina said. "We have confidence that you can and knowing that we can win this battle."

Henry subsided then. "Okay . . .I can do that."

"Do us proud my little prince."

"I will, Mom. And you go and kick their butts. Cause nobody messes with my mom and grandpa."

Regina hugged him. "I'm going to let the Evil Queen come out and play...one last time."

"I almost feel sorry for them...no I don't," Archie mumbled.

"I take it these two were a bit...scary in your world?" Selene asked.

"Better not, Hopper. Or else I might have to give you a taste of my cane of doom-as Killian calls it," Rumple chuckled. "because those two are going to feel the wrath of the Gold sorcerer-which is a LOT worse than the Dark One."

Archie laughed. "Selene, sweetheart, Rumple and Regina were the most feared beings in our world because they could kick you to hell and back and thank the gods they're on OUR side now."

"We should...be going then...find Detective Carlyle's children, Rumple, and get them home," Belle said softly. She gazed into his eyes. "And remember...you carry all of us with you...love is power."

"I remember, dearie," he assured her. "You are both my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. Which is as it should be."

Killian hugged his knees. "Ya know I'd be there if I could but I'll be there in your head. Clobber those zombies with a really big meatball."

Rumple set his hand on the child's head. "I'll give them one just from you, lad. And you make sure your brother listens and doesn't try anything crazy," he whispered in his grandson's ear. "Or else he's gonna end up over MY knee, and you know how that goes."

"Yeah...I'll keep 'im in line," Killian assured him with a grin.

Emma hugged him...or tried to next.

"That's from Aria and me...I think she's ready to come out soon but I'm gonna try to make her wait till you finish this."

"You do that, dearie . . .but if she decides to make her entrance before I come back . . .I'll say hello when I come home." He hugged her and laid a hand on her belly. "Don't be in a hurry to get here, like your papa."

"You hear that Aria...you wait a bit...okay?"

The baby kicked hard.

"Ooof...well! Someone has an attitude today..." Emma said breathlessly.

"Takes after her father," Rumple snorted.

"And her grandfather!"

"Well, she comes by it honestly." The sorcerer admitted.

Emma moved back to allow her husband and son to say their goodbyes.

She pulled Regina aside to speak to her.

Bae hugged his father. "You know . . .this is one time I really wish I had magic. So I could fight alongside you."

"While I would like that, I'm glad you don't, Bae. Because I'd still be worried about trying to protect you." Rumple said sincerely.

"Papa, I just hate seeing you have to go in fighting...again..."

But his father wasn't the kind of man to stand by and watch innocent children die. It was the reason why he'd marched into the middle of the battlefield and put an end to the Ogre Wars long ago.

"I'm coming back, Bae. Never doubt that."

"Oh, I don't but I worry, that's all...like you always do with me."

Bae hugged his father again. "Let them have it, Papa."

"I will . . .be safe and try not to worry too much. "

"And we'll try not to get in trouble in jolly old England," his son said with a smile.

"You'd better not, Baelfire. If I have to come and bail you out of jail . . ." he mock-growled.

"Ahh you can afford it!"

"What I can't afford is my hair going gray totally!"

"We'll be fine Papa," Bae assured his father and stepped back for Henry to say his goodbyes.

"I still wish I could go with you but I'll keep everybody safe, Grandpa," Henry assured the sorcerer.

"You do that. And don't get any ideas in your head about sneaking out and trying to come with us either. Got me?"

"I won't because you can't be distracted."

"No. You just remember what I taught you . . .and if anything strange or odd starts happening . . .get to a safe place and use this," he pulled a clear pink crystal from his pocket. "It's a ward stone and will place wards about any dwelling you're in."

"I will. Send that pervert and his sidekick to Hell."

"Oh yes I look forward to that, boy," there was a hard glint in the wise eyes now. "God only knows how many little children have died to serve that bastard's lust for souls and innocent flesh." Just thinking about it made his flesh creep-for despite having once been an evil sorcerer-Rumple had not been as dark as they all thought-and he never would have harmed a small child like Rasputin had done. It was anathema to him, cursed or uncursed.

Henry embraced him and went over to where Emma stood with Regina.

Selene and Archie approached him together. "I don't know how to thank you properly," Selene said softly.

"There's no need to thank me, dearie. It was a pleasure to help you," Rumple said sincerely.

"I'll try to keep them in line," Archie joked.

"That may not be easy honey," Selene said softly.

"Not with my family. They're trouble magnets," chuckled Rumple.

"Do me a favor would you...make sure Cruella lives long enough for my mum and dad to get a shot in. They owe her one or two," Selene said.

Pongo and Perdy barked their messages to the sorcerer.

Thank you, dearies, he sent to them.

You better be ready to attend a wedding because these two are getting married or else.

Oh I will . . .and I'm sure you'll make sure they do.

Perdy snorted. Oh yes. But...I think Selene will be a bit cross with me when I tell her I'm...ahhh going to have puppies...

Rumple smirked. Hopefully not two dozen, dearie! Congratulations!

Unlike you humans we don't take forever choosing our mates, do we Perdy?

No, we don't.

It wasn't easy but the Dalmatians did manage to get some time alone.

Rumple wondered if Henry and Killian would end up begging their parents for a puppy once they were born, and thought it likely Bae and Emma might have two new additions to their household instead of one.

Regina embraced her son. "I'm coming back Henry." she vowed. "Those two have NO idea who they trifled with."

"No they don't. Just cause you're a white mage now doesn't mean you can't kick butt and take names."

"And I love the idea of bringing her out to play...one more time."

Henry nodded. "Play hardball, Mom. You and Grandpa both."

"We will. Are you ready Rumple?"

She cast a spell that suddenly made enough seats on a flight for England that day available and their family be the ones holding the tickets.

"You'll have rooms at the first hotel you stop at too," she added.

"I am, dearie," he replied.

"One more thing..." Regina waved her hand and she was now wearing one of her Evil Queen outfits.

She smirked at Rumple. "Feel like a wardrobe change, dearie?"

He gestured and appeared in his crocodile leather outfit with its high collar and form fitting leather pants.

Belle smiled. "You will wear that when I see you again...but not for long."

Her husband tilted his head and smirked. "As you wish, sweetheart." He conjured a rose and held it out to her.

She curtseyed. "Why thank you..."

She took the rose and held it to her breast.

"The rose will change color when I'm done with this mission and coming home to you," he informed her. "It will become purple. And if . . .and only if . . . I'm in peril of my life, the rose's petals will start to fall. Otherwise it will remain fresh and sweet."

"If you need us...we'll find a way to connect to you...just like we did before...in spirit."

"Good. You can probably use the rose as a conduit," her husband said.

Belle ran into his arms and kissed him.

"I will see you again," he murmured before kissing her passionately.

"I know you will."

It was with great reluctance that she released him and followed the others out to the cabs that would take them to the airport.

Rumple looked at Regina. "It's showtime, dearie."

She placed her hand in his. "Let's kick ass!"

"With pleasure!" he responded with a signature giggle. Then he teleported away to the toy shop.

In the basement of the toy shop, two terrified children lay on a table bound and gagged.

"You two will make lovely additions to our little collection," Cruella crooned.

The children whimpered.

She reached out and stroked the girl's cheek. "I think I will have twenty years of beauty with you…"

Anne Carlyle shrank from the woman's touch, shivering in terrified revulsion.

"And this one, Rasputin..." she gestured to the boy. "What do you think? A little appetizer before the main course?"

He reached out a hand and gave the child's bottom a pinch. "So juicy . . .and ripe . . ." his eyes began to shine with an unnatural lust.

Cruella smiled coldly. "Shall we begin?"

"Yes," he hissed.

She always had him begin the ritual since he had more experience.

The two terrified children prayed to God through their tears someone would save them.

Rasputin began to light the blood candles around the table, muttering the chant in Latin to call the dark spirits to witness.

Cruella closed her eyes and chanted with him.

He began to draw the diagram around the table with sorcerer's chalk and the lines left shimmered an ugly viscous green.

"Oh dark ones we summon thee

To grant us immortality!"

Black clouds formed over the toy shop.

Regina and Rumple materialized in front of the toy shop. The former queen glanced up at the sky, frowning. "They've started the ritual! We have to hurry!"

Rumple gestured and the shop door unlocked. "Come on! Hurry!" He could sense the gathering of dark magic and trailed it across the shop.

"Behind that shelf!" Regina exclaimed.

He gestured and the shelf moved and revealed a secret passage. He activated his personal spell shields. "Get ready, Regina."

She activated her own. "I'm ready!"

At the hospital, Nick Carlyle was praying.

"We're in in for one helluva storm...came outta nowhere," said the driver of Bae and Emma's cab.

Bae frowned. He knew that occasionally those using dark magic warped the forces of nature as a side effect and sometimes strange weather occurrences were the result.

In her cab Belle kissed her rose and held Henry tight.

Henry whispered. "We're gonna be okay. And so will they. We just gotta believe."

Selene buried her face in Archie's shoulder and Pongo and Perdy whined in fear.

Killian glared out the window. "Boooy are you gonna get yours, sickos!"

Rain lashed the windows and the wind screeched like a lost soul.

Henry touched the crystal.

It began to glow faintly, surrounding them with a peaceful warm light.

He sent the wards to all of the cars, knowing Rasputin and Cruella would try to harm them if they knew where they were.

It's not a dwelling Grandpa, but I know how you are about loopholes, he thought with a smile.

Rumple walked into the basement of the toy shop and purred, "Did you forget to send us an invitation to join the party, dearie? Or is this a members only kind of thing?"

"It's HER!" Cruella yelled, pointing at Regina.

Regina smirked. "You can call me the Evil Queen, dear."

Rumple gestured. "And I'm the Dark One."

"I'm looking forward to a rematch with you...bitch!" Cruella hissed, glaring at Regina.

Rumple zeroed in on the children on the table. "Fresh meat for you, dearie? You couldn't resist?" he sneered at Rasputin, leaving no doubt as to what he was referring.

"Who are you?" growled Rasputin.

This was no dark spirit.

Cruella eyed him appreciatively. "And aren't you a tasty morsel... bit on the short side...but trifles..."

The skinwalker licked her lips.

Rumple gave her a disgusted glance. "Not interested, dearie. A dog is more appealing."

"You'll be begging like a dog when we finish with you!"

"I'll see you beg first . . .bitch!" he spat. "Because there's more than one way to skin a skinwalker."

"You can try..."

"There is something familiar about you...sorcerer," Rasputin murmured.

Rumple bared his teeth. "Oh, we've met before. But you might not recognize me now. Let those children go."

"Do you think you can stop me?"

"I don't think, dearie. I know."

Cruella opened her hand and blew on it. "A little gift...hope you like it."

Rumple summoned a wind . . .and it blew the dust right back into her face. "Oops! It's a bit drafty in here!" Then he giggled wickedly.

Cruella conjured a shield. "Not anymore, darling..." she cooed.

Regina flicked her wrist and released the children.

"They are coming...you are too late..." Rasputin laughed.

Rumple transported the two children to the hospital and murmured, "Say hello to your papa for me, dearies." before they vanished in a puff of smoke.

The dark spectres flew into the cave and surrounded Rumple and Regina.

"Into the innocent let them transform..."

Rumple lifted up his pendant. "Light of Power repel these spirits of darkness." The pendant began to glow stridently and it blasted the specters with a brilliant fiery light.

Rasputin conjured an energy ball and threw it at Rumple"s hand.

Cruella flicked her wrist and threw Regina against the wall. "Give them just the right cheese and the mice will flock to the trap..."

Rumple vanished, reappearing on the other side of the table altar. "Never stand still-more of a target that way." Then he gestured and a huge dragon made of fire dove at the other sorcerer.

Rasputin threw himself on the ground, a shield springing around him, cursing in Russian. This damned bastard was good!

The dragon breathed . . .and encased Rasputin in a ball of fire.

Regina vanished in a puff of smoke and reappeared behind Cruella. "Just call me Speedy Gonzales..."

She reached through the other woman's back and closed her fingers around Cruella's heart. "One thing my mother taught me...keep an eye on your heart...you can't afford to lose it!"

She ripped the organ out of Curella's chest.

Rumple smirked and called, "Well done, Draconis!" to his fiery dragon construct, recalling the name of Daenerys's dragon on Game of Thrones in brief flicker of whimsy. "A little hot in there isn't it?" he called to Rasputin.

A few more curses in Russian was his answer.

Regina squeezed the heart in her hand. Cruella screamed and fell to her knees in agony.

"How...how can you..."

Rasputin managed to banish the fireball and stood up, brushing soot from his clothes. "What do you Americans say? No more Mr. Nice Guy?" He clapped his hands and his bottle imps flew into the room and attacked Rumple.

"As long as I have this you do what I say," Regina hissed.

"Oh dearie dearie dear!" Rumple giggled. "Imps!" He smirked. Then he cried, "Supper, Draconis!"

The fiery dragon swooped down upon the imps, incinerating some and grabbing others in his fiery talons. The imps, though summoned from one of the circles of hell, found that they were not immune to the dragon's fire, for it was a celestial being, and heavenly fire charred them to ash.

"How! No one has ever defeated my imps before!" Rasputin howled.

"That's because you always had helpless captives and ordinary humans before . . .you;ve never faced someone like me-Master of Light and Dark," Rumple sneered.

"That's impossible!" the other cried, and lashed out with withering curse.

Seizing her opportunity, Cruella cast the curse on Regina. The former queen gasped in horror as she saw her skin aging.

The heart fell to the floor.

"A virgin soul does wonders for the skin..." Cruella teased.

At the airport the petals of the rose started to fall.

"No...NO!" Belle screamed.

Rumple shook his head, his own magic battling Rasputin's curse with everything he had. He had to help Regina . . .but he knew if he let his concentration lapse for a moment . . .he would be food for the worms. He sent a command to his dragon. "Help Regina . . ."

The dragon flew over to the former queen and wrapped her in its wings. It gave her the strength needed to fight off the soul sucking curse . . .but by doing so it also gave its "life".

"Thank you, loyal friend," Regina murmured.

She could feel the curse reversing itself and summoned the heart to her hand again.

At the airport, Rumple's family and friends started picking up the falling rose petals and cradling them in their hands.

Rumple winced as Draconis' "death" weakened him, and he murmured, "Farewell my braw beastie." and sagged against the stone altar, feeling Rasputin's curse clawing at him, trying to get past his shields.

"He needs us...all of us..." Henry cried.

Rasputin laughed hollowly. "Stupid old man! Relying on your pitiful allies to help you fight! Friends are weakness! Family is weakness! And I shall crush you!"

Love is power Rumple...remember...Belle sent.

He pulled a slender throwing knife from his sleeve and flung it at Rumple.

The knife flew through the air and struck the sorcerer in the leg . . .the same leg he'd injured before.

Nevengers forever mate...sent Killian.

Fight it, Papa! urged Bae.

Rumple crumpled to the ground, his face twisted in pain. I cannot hold . . .but I must . . . through the red mist that clouded his mind he heard some familiar voices . . .and he whispered . . . "True Love conquers all . . ." Dizzy, his head drooped forward.

You're not going anywhere Rumple! Aria wants to see her grandpa now FIGHT! yelled Emma.

Rasputin came and kicked Gold viciously in the side, knocking the smaller man to the ground. "Resistance is futile! Surrender!"

We'll hold you Grandpa...together... sent Henry.

Rumple blinked, feeling the strength of his family's love flowing through him.

Rasputin leered and set his hand upon Rumple's chest. Then the necromancer cried, "I know you! You're that little crippled brat! Lost your cane?"

You're Rumplestiltskin...you're the most powerful mage in all the realms..show him! Archie encouraged.

"You're the one who's going to lose!" Regina sneered and locked Cruella in a cage. She had her right where she wanted her. She sent some of her own energy to Rumple.

Rumple shook off the fiery pain in his leg, then grabbed Rasputin's wrist with his own hand. "No. But I don't need it to defeat you, soul-eater. For I have something better . . .something that you cannot take, or steal, or feed off of, you pervert! You want my soul-Rasputin? Then take it!"

And he did something no one had ever done before-he offered his soul-made pure by sacrifice and true love, to the soul eater.

Regina gasped. "Are you INSANE!?"

Rasputin seized it in his hand-and screamed in agony. "The LIGHT! Ahhhh! Burns . . .I . . .can't . . ."

His palm blackened and charred and the soul tumbled from his grasp and was reabsorbed into Rumple's chest.

Rumplestiltskin sat up. He wore his signature smirk. "Forgot to read the fine print, didn't you? If a soul eater attempts to obtain a magical soul of pure light . . .the soul shall be his undoing!"

Rasputin writhed on the floor, as the burned charred flesh spread up his arm. "What . . .what . . .is happening to me?"

"You've been touched by True Love, dearie." Rumple informed him. "True Love heals, yes, but it also reveals . . and it's revealed that you've been living on borrowed time, Rasputin . . .and now that time is up! Tick tock, dearie! Tick tock!"

"Noo! I cannot die! I am immortal!" wailed the other, staring in horrified fascination as his arm began to disintegrate.

"Not anymore..." Regina sang.

His whole body began to crumble into a foul smelling black dust as they watched, as True Love's fire consumed him from the inside out.

Rumple lifted a hand and waved. "Dosvidanya, Mr. Putin! Hope you enjoy roasting in Lucifie's stewpot, as my grandson would say!"

He looked at Regina. "Sometimes, dearie, you can't be afraid to give yourself away."

Then he slumped to the ground again. "Damned daggers! When will I ever be rid of them?"

"Now would be good," his former apprentice said as she tried to heal him.

"Use your magic . . .to take the knife out . . ." he gasped. "But be careful . . .not to cut an artery . . ."

"If I screw up, remember, you trained me," she quipped.

"I don't train screw ups, dearie," he returned. "Why do you think I got rid of Zelena?"

"Point taken, now shut up...breaking my concentration...ahhh...there we are..."

She extracted the dagger carefully and blasted it.

Gold's head lolled to one side as the wound spurted blood all over. He struggled to heal himself.

Regina clasped his hand and shared more of her energy with him.

"Come on Rumple...dammit..."

Together, they mended the gaping wound until only pink skin showed through the tear in his leather pants. He clucked ruefully. "Bastard ruined my good pants."

"You won't be wearing them long anyway..." Regina said with a smirk.

He sighed, "Not if Belle has anything to say about it." He sat up. "Blast! I forgot my cane."

She stood up. "So, what do we do with our little pet here?" She helped Rumple to his feet and summoned his cane.

"You go fu..."

A bar of soap appeared in Cruella's mouth.

Rumple leaned on his cane. "Like I said before, dearie, there's more than one way to skin a skinwalker . ..isn't there, Carla Paddington? or should I say . . ."

They grinned.

"Cruella De Vil

Cruella De Vil

If she doesn't scare you

No evil thing will

To see her is to

Take a sudden chill

Cruella, Cruella De Vil..." they sang.

Cruella cringed and covered her ears . . .but it was too late.

For in the Navajo customs, if one spoke the true name of the skinwalker three times, the skinwalker would die in three days for the crimes it committed.

"Let's bring her in to the police," Rumple said grimly. "She has a few confessions to make."

"Enjoy your stay of execution while you can...Cruella!" Regina hissed.

She handed Cruella's heart to Rumple.

Rumple waved a hand and a facsimile of Rasputin's body appeared. "And we can always say Mr. Putin dropped dead of heart trouble once we found out his unholy secrets."

"I'm not saying ONE word!" Cruella hissed.

He held the heart gently. "Come, darling," he drawled. "We have an appointment to keep. And I'm afraid you'll sing like a canary, dearie. Because the one who holds your heart . . .commands you." His voice sharpened.

She followed them out of the shop, furious that she'd never learned THAT brand of magic.

At the airport, everyone was crying and hugging as the rose turned a beautiful shade of victory purple.

They grabbed their suitcases and raced to the exit to find taxis to take them back to the hotel.

"Just a moment, Regina," Rumple said, and they paused in the entrance to the toy shop. He waved a hand and Cruella now appeared as she had been, which was the description the police had of her.

"Perhaps you'd better give Detective Carlyle a ring too," he told Regina. "Tell him we have someone to see him. He'll know what we mean."

"With pleasure." She summoned her phone. "Detective Carlyle...it's Regina."

"Hello. Did you . . .?" he began.

"Yes. We have HER. And as for him...we'll fill you in when you get here."

"Okay. On my way." He hung up, and shoved his phone into his pocket. Then he looked at his children who were clustered on the bed beside his still sleeping wife. "Annie, Bobby, I need you to come with me, okay? The people that helped you, they have a lady in custody and I need you two to tell me if she's the same one who kidnapped you." He picked up his kids and told one of the officers on duty outside his wife's door where he was going. "I have to check this out, Mike. And I'm taking my kids with me so they can give me an ID. Hopefully this is who we've been after."

He'd told the others that his kids had been dropped off at the hospital by a helpful park official after they'd escaped their captors and told the staff who they were.

"Nail her ass to a wall Nick!" Mike exclaimed.

"I will, bro. See ya!" He took the elevator down to the entrance and hopped in his car after putting the kids in the backseat.

"Daddy...that lady scared me!" cried Bobby.

"I know, son. But she won't be able to hurt you anymore." Nick soothed.

"Cause you're gonna arrest her, right?" Annie asked, holding onto her brother's hand.

"I am . . if you can tell me that she's the same one who took you away," Nick answered. "You remember what she looks like?"

"Uh-huh...and she changed her face too...how she do that?" asked Bobby.

"Maybe it was with some kind of CGI stuff," Nick hedged, not wanting to get into a dicsussion about magic.

"Maybe she had powers like Mystique on X-men," Annie put in.

Bobby cringed. "That guy was gross...he pinched my butt!"

Nick almost hit the car in front of him. "That rotten mother f-" he clamped his mouth shut before he said something he'd regret.

"Daddy, you were gonna swear!"

"Sorry, I just . . .Bobby, he didn't touch you anywhere else did he?" he was horrified at what might have happened to his little boy, who was usually quiet and had been in shock since he'd appeared in the hospital room.

"Nah...that was when the Evil Queen an the Dark One showed up."

Nick let out the breath he'd been holding. "Okay . . .but if he did . . you can tell me, okay?" And then he would personally beat Putin to a bloody pulp.

"He didn't Daddy cause the Evil Queen got us outta there, huh, Annie?"

"Yeah, she made the ropes fall offa us on the table and then the Dark One said he was sending us home and to tell you hi," his daughter said. "Are they superheroes, Daddy?"

"Kind of like that, princess," Nick laughed. "And you have to promise not to tell anyone about them, okay?"

Bobby made a zipping motion across his lips.

"Cause nobody's 'llowed to know a superhero's identity," Annie recited.

"Yeah like that," Nick agreed, parking the car in his familiar space.

The kids were eager to see the superheroes again.

Nick flashed his badge at the security guard at the park entrance and was let through with his kids. He carried them over to the toy shop and entered it to find Rumple and Regina waiting for him, wearing clothes that looked like Game of Thrones costumes. No wonder his kids thought they were superheroes.

"Hello Detective," Regina greeted.

"Hey. Thanks for the assist. These are my kids, Annie and Bobby."

"I gotta question...why you call yourselves the Dark One an the Evil Queen when you're cool?" asked Bobby.

"Code names." Rumple smiled at them. "Hello, dearies. How are you doing? I'm Mr. Gold."

"And I'm Regina."

"Like Mister Gold better'n the Dark One and Regina's a cool name too!"

Both children glared at Cruella.

"That's her Daddy! Take her to jail!"

"You sure?" Nick probed.

Annie nodded. "Yeah. She looks just like that picture you gots in your office on the wall."

"Brats!" Cruella yelled.

"Oh and we saw her with them on the table, gloating, right, dearie?" Rumple asked, and he squeezed her heart in his pocket very gently.

"Should've killed all of you!"

And with that outburst she admitted to four counts of attempted murder.

Nick pulled out his set of cuffs in his back pocket and snapped them on. "Mrs. Paddington, you have the right to remain silent . . ." he began to read her her rights.

Suddenly Annie and Bobby began singing loudly, "They're coming to take you away-hee hee ha ha

To Florida State Pen, twenty years to life,

Where a fat guy named Bubba's gonna make you his wife

If ya don't do as you're told

Ya get chucked into a dark hole

And nobody cares cause you broke the law

And now you're gonna pay—"

"Oh my God!" groaned the detective. "What have I told you about that song?" He covered his face with a hand.

Regina giggled. "They remind me of us..." She had been recording everything on her phone for the others to see.

"Yes, they do, don't they, dearie?" Rumple laughed.

"So take her away!" Bobby finished.

"Hooray!" Annie added.

"Okay, scamps, that's enough," their father laughed. Then he said, "And how about Mr. Putin?"

The two mages looked at each other. "Well...ahhh..."

"Didja beat him up, the perv?" asked Bobby.

"Yes, lad, we did. Let me show you, Detective," Rumple beckoned him into the basement, where he had left Rasputin's "body". "I didn't want to tell you this in front of the children but . . I fear Mr. Putin has gone to his final destination in hell."

The detective gave a grim smile. "You kill him?"

"Let us say . . .he died from natural causes," Rumple replied. It was true.

"Good."

He viewed Putin's body and took photos of the crime scene and then said, "I'm gonna call the coroner and have this place sealed off soon, procedure, you know. But I wanted to thank you for . . .for rescuing my kids. I . . .I would have never been able to live with myself if something happened to them."

"Being parents ourselves...we know the feeling," Regina said.

"Yes, we do. We would do anything for our children, no matter what," Rumple said feelingly.

"If you don't need anything else from us...we'd like to see our family..."

"No, you go right ahead . . .and I'll make sure no one knows of your involvement . . ." The detective assured them.

"Yeah, we'll never tell . . .we can keep a secret!" Annie assured them.

"I'm going to give my outlaw a call...and tell him to come down here." Regina whispered to Rumple.

"Okay, and I need to get back to the hotel and make sure everything's okay with Emma and she's not going to have the baby." Rumple said.

They shook hands with Detective Carlyle and his children again.

Rumple's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Rumple...our grandchild is on the way!" Belle said happily.

"She's in labor?" he gasped. "You get her to the hospital okay?"

"We did and she said to haul ass because Aria is getting impatient!"

"Okay, dearie. We're on our way." Rumple said. "We'll meet you there."

He hung up. "Regina, we need to leave. My granddaughter's eager to make her grand entrance." He waved a hand and his leather outfit was transformed into his Armani three piece suit. "Don't want then to throw me out of the hospital."

Regina changed into a Chanel suit. "Me either!"

"Cool!" the kids chorused. They waved goodbye as Regina and Rumple disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.


	8. The Best Kind of Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the birth of the Swanfire baby! Yay!

 

8

~ The Best Kind of Magic ~

 

 

 

"Ahhh....Belle you better tell Rumple to haul ass because Aria is NOT waiting much longer!" Emma was yelling while they were helping her out of the cab and into a wheelchair.

 

"I called him, honey. He's on his way," Belle assured her daughter-in-law.

 

"It's gonna be okay Em," Bae soothed. She glared at him.

 

"You trying to be funny, Gold? Should ask your father if there is some kind of spell to make YOU feel this and then tell me everything's gonna be okay!"

 

The only upside was that this time she wasn't handcuffed to the bed and wouldn't be giving her baby up for adoption as soon as it was born, believing she couldn't be a mother. Thanks to her father-in-law and his friends, she had all the proof she needed that she would make a good one.

 

 

Bae looked sick for a moment. "I thought . . .it'd be easier the second time around . . ." He wished his father were there already, he felt like he was going to explode from the anxiety he was feeling and he could just imagine that Emma felt ten times worse than he did and he was now feeling guilty.

 

"Ummm...NO.....whatever gave you THAT idea!" Emma groaned.

 

"Uh . . .I heard some women talking when you went for your last checkup . . they said after the first one's born the second one and third ones are like a cakewalk." Then he waited for her to slug him one. "And THEY said it, I didn't!"

 

"They...must've...gotten lucky...." she panted. "Or our daughter...is...ooooh...trying to prove she's....augghhh...not...gonna be...a pushover!"

 

 

Bae winced and wonder why the hell it took forever for people to move their ass around here. He wanted to apologize but feared that would just irritate his wife and besides, they had both wanted this baby. "She's a Gold, hon. And despite what people used to think about my papa, none of us are."

 

 

"We'll be in the waiting room," Archie called out and he and Selene took Henry and Killian to the waiting room.

 

"I'd like to be in there with you too Emma but they'll probably only let Bae in," Belle said and kissed Emma's forehead.

 

"Not if I said you were my stepmother . . ." she gasped. She poked Bae. "Gold, I will KILL you if you pass out or throw up or do anything except help me out here."

 

"All right honey....I'll go in if I'm allowed."

 

The truth was Belle wanted to see the miracle of childbirth to prepare herself for the time when she and Rumple would have their own baby. She knew it was going to be painful but she didn't care. She'd endure to have a child of her own.

 

And after all this was once considered a woman's mystery and a battle they fought in like any man called to war.

 

"Em . . .just breathe, okay . . .?" Bae said as they wheeled her into the ER temporary room and called an OB stat. He blotted her forehead with some tissues. "Kid, why couldn't you have waited?" he groaned.

 

"Because she's stubborn...like all of us..."

 

Bae checked his watch. "Papa, where the fuck are you?" he growled. "What'd you do, take the snail bus?"

 

"Better watch it...Gold...or he'll smack you..."

 

As if his words had summoned him, Rumple walked into the room at precisely that instant. "What'd he do, dearie, that I need to beat him for?"

 

Emma smirked. "Okay Aria....you....can settle down a bit....Grandpa's here. Oh and your son needs some Ivory..."

 

"Emma! All I said was--"

 

"All you said was where the...fill in the blank are you and something about taking the snail bus, was it?" Belle was grinning.

 

"Excuse me? I got here as quick as I could considering where I was and what I was doing!" Rumple huffed. "Otherwise you'd be in serious trouble for that smartass comment."

 

Emma laughed through her pain. "Oh.....I am enjoying this...."

 

Rumple walked over to her and took her hand. "I can't do much, since this is the price you pay, dearie, but I can take the edge off." He sent a warm wave of magical energy through her that muted the pains somewhat.

 

She sighed contentedly. "Ahhhh.....that feels a lot better..."

 

"And you will too once my granddaughter is born," he soothed.

 

 

 

"All right, Mrs. Gold, let's get you into delivery," a nurse said softly. "You can only have two family members in there," she reminded them. "That includes your husband."

 

"Rumple...do you mind if I take Belle.....she...she wants to see.."

 

"Mind? It's not up to me to tell her what to do," he chuckled. He looked at his wife. "You sure you want to see this, dearie?"

 

She smiled. "I need to know what to expect when we have our baby, don't I darling?"

 

"I'm not sure I want to," his son muttered, then jumped and glared at his father, who had just smacked him on the behind. "Papa!"

 

"Never mind what you want, Bae. You just be there for Emma and remember this took two of you to make happen and two of you will see it through to its conclusion--as it should be." Rumple scolded. "Besides, this isn't a betrothal, you're not allowed to get cold feet now."

 

"Yeah or I'll shoot you!" Emma threatened.

 

"Between you and him you're gonna leave poor Aria fatherless before she even gets here," Bae groused. He gave his backside a token rub, and muttered, "Dammit, when do your parents quit thinking of you as their kid?"

 

 

"Never," Rumple said.

 

The nurse smirked. "Reminds me of my kids....I keep telling them they're never too old for me to whomp them good if I need to."

 

"Exactly," the attorney nodded.

 

Emma hugged her father-in-law. "As soon as....she's born....I'll have them come get you....so you can see her..."

 

"Okay, dearie . . .I'll be waiting . . .and remember . . .this is the best kind of magic--the magic of life," he whispered that last in her ear as he hugged her back.

 

Emma reached for Bae's hand while they were taking her back to the delivery room.

 

He gripped her hand and whispered, "Sorry I freaked out like that back there. I just . . .I guess this is what soldiers must feel like going into battle . . .and I wish you could just pop her out like a cat with kittens." Then he blushed again. "Oh God, I'm really batting a thousand here, aren't I?"

 

"Yeah, real smooth Gold. But...I'll forgive you....later..."

 

"Thanks, hon. You know what I'm like when I'm nervous . . .my mouth just runs away with me." He looked at the nurse. "When can you give her some pain meds?"

 

"That depends on how far along she is. The doctor needs to examine her first."

 

"How long will that take?" Belle inquired. The last thing she wanted was for Emma to be lying in a bed for hours waiting for a doctor to see her as many hospitals were doing these days. At least the bad ones she read about.

 

"The doctor is on her way now," said the nurse. "And if she's as far along as she seems, it won't take long at all."

 

"Oh I hope so...this kid is really impatient," Emma joked. She looked up at Belle. "This is the worst pain you're ever gonna feel so I hope you're ready for it."

 

"I will be...Rumple is ready to be a papa again."

 

Bae was quiet, thinking how much he wanted to be a papa again but he was nervous as hell about this delivery. What if something went wrong? He could feel himself break out into a sweat and scolded himself. You can do this, Bae! You've fought dark witches and everything. Yet all of that paled compared to this.

 

Emma wasn't worried at all. She knew she had enough support if things started to go wrong and she was no weakling herself though she couldn't use magic at the moment.

 

The doctor arrived, a young woman in her mid thirties. "Hello, Mrs. Gold, I'm Dr. Pagano. Let's see how everything's going."

 

"Gonna tell ya doc, this kid is ready to come out whether we're ready or not...anxious to meet everybody I guess..."

 

"The baby always knows when the time is right," said the doctor pulling on gloves.

 

While that was going on, a nurse helped Bae and Belle into sterle gowns and caps and showed them how to scrub up and also put gloves on.

 

"Do I have to do this when I have a baby?" Belle asked.

 

"No, dear. This is basically so you don't get germs on the mom. The more sterile things are the less chance of infection. When you deliver, your job is to have the baby, the rest of us worry about stuff like this."

 

She imagined Rumple would drive them all insane with his ideas of what was considered sterile. If he had his way, they'd all be in Haz Mat suits and the place under quarantine.

 

"Can we see her now?"

 

"She should be ready now," the nurse said.

 

They filed back into the delivery room. Emma was now wearing a pink gown and had sheets draped over her lower half. A fetal heart monitor had been attached as well as some IV's and she was kind of loopy from the pain meds given through it.

 

 

Emma laughed when she saw them in their scrubs. "Doctor Bae, Doctor Belle," she teased.

 

"Emma are you....stoned?" Belle exclaimed.

 

"Me...no....not at all..." she insisted.

 

"You're kinda out of it, hon," Bae chuckled.

 

"But Bae . . .I feel pretty . . so pretty . . .ahahaha . . ." she began giggling in a fit reminsicent of her former Dark One father-in-law.

 

The labor room staff was trying not to laugh. They'd seen some funny things from mothers under the he influence in their lives and hearing them sing was a favorite.

 

"Umm . . .Em . . .don't quit your day job . . ." Bae snickered. "I think I'd better sing lullabys to the baby, Belle."

 

Emma glared at him. "Oh like YOU can sing!"

 

"I'm not Elvis, but I can carry a tune," Bae remarked. "Cause I know you didn't marry me for my looks, babe."

 

She groaned. "Oooohh... Aria not YET!"

 

The baby however was getting tired of waiting and wanted to see her family.

 

Bae rubbed her neck. "I think she's saying let me out, Mom, been cooking long enough." He massaged her shoulders. "They gonna give you an epidural, or what?"

 

"What is that?" Belle asked.

 

"It's a spinal block. A pain med so she won't feel the worst of the delivery," Bae answered.

 

"Heaven," Emma whimpered.

 

From what she was seeing, Belle knew she would want one for herself when her time came.

 

The anesthesiologist came in and said, "Okay, Mrs. Gold, let's get you set to bring this baby home." His assistant wheeled in a tray with this huge needle on it.

 

"Please, stick it in me!" Emma begged.

 

Belle gaped at her. "Are you insane? That needle is huge!"

 

"Oh hell no!" Bae cried. "Looks like a torture device!"

 

"Shut up!" Emma cried. "I don't care just put it in me. And next time, Gold YOU'RE having the kid!"

 

Belle looked away, horrified. That needle was worse than the ones that were used for their immunizations.

 

"Emma, I'm kind of not equipped for it," Bae quipped.

 

"So you can have some implants! Then we'll see if men really are the stronger sex!"

 

The delivery staff was snickering. The anesthesiologist and his assistant prepped Emma and then he said, "Okay, Mrs. Gold, you'll feel like a giant Texas bee sting and that's it."

 

Bae went white. "No, you're not sticking that in my wife!" he muttered.

 

She grabbed his hand and almost crushed all his fingers. "Look at me, Baelfire . . at me and if you pass out God and all his angels better take you because I'll beat you with your father's cane, I swear it!"

 

Bae looked away then, into Emma's eyes and the sudden dizziness and queasines passed as he stared into her face, that had captivated him since the day they'd met in a stolen car.

 

Emma didn't even flinch when the shot was given, and soon the lines of pain on her face smoothed out.

 

Belle turned back, noticing that her daughter in law seemed more comfortable but she still wouldn't have one of those monstrosities in her.

 

Dr. Pagano came back and said, "I think you're almost ready, Emma."

 

She directed her staff to position the TV monitor and said, "Mr. Gold and . . .err you're Mirs. Gold too, right? Umm . . . well . . look up at the screen and you can see the baby get born on it. It's called Baby Cam."

 

"Oh my goodness! I can see her! I can see my granddaughter!" Belle said happily.

 

"Wow! Emma look, there's our baby girl!" Bae cried emotionally.

 

"Hey Aria, time to come out and say hello." Emma smiled.

:I wish your papa was here to see this, Bae," Belle murmured.

 

"Yeah he'd be all over the moon about it," Bae said, for that was how he was feeling.

Meanwhile in the wating room the rest of the family was trying to pass the time, which seemed to slow to a crawl.

 

"When are we gonna see Aria? Why's it taking so long?" Killian asked impatiently.

 

Regina was trying to pass the time reading a book, Henry was playing a game on his phone and Archie and Selene were talking with an inspector in England.

 

Rumple glanced over at the coffee machine, thinking a cup was what he needed to keep himself awake.

 

He approached the coffee machine, unimpressed with the choices it offered. He pressed the appropriate button and waited a minute or two only nothing came out of the machine.

 

"What the....are ye joking...gimme the damned coffee ye stupid machine!" he grouched.

 

 

He pressed the button again, nothing happened.

 

Muttering under his breath he shook the machine slightly. "Idiotic thing! I paid for the damn cup o' coffee and I'm gonna have it."

 

When that didn't get results, he progressed to whacking the machine with his cane and snarling, "Nobody breaks deals wi' me, you hunk of junk!"

 

Regina looked up from her book. "Assaulting machines now, Rumple?" she teased.

 

"Rumple, you're gonna get us thrown out of here, now calm down!" Archie said gently.

 

"Grandpa, what's the matter?" asked Killian, coming over to see what had his relative so steamed.

 

The frustrated pawnbroker looked down at his small grandson. "It's this dumb machine. It took my money and won't gimme my coffee."

 

"Maybe they're outta that kind?" mused the small boy.

 

Selene laughed. "That would be me." Archie shook his head.

 

Rumple frowned. "It doesna say that, lad."

 

"Maybe you need to push ALL the buttons?" Killian suggested.

 

"All the--NO!"

 

Too late. The intrepid toddler hit all five buttons . . .and suddenly the "broken" machine began working again--and five kinds of coffee poured all over the floor.

 

"Cool! Look ya hit the jackpot!" the child cried.

 

"It's the Orlando Coffee Party!" Henry exclaimed.

 

A horrified Rumple beckoned to his grandson. "C'mere, ye scamp! B'fore ye get burnt and we have another reason to be here!"

 

"Uh oh! Don't wanna get burned!"

 

Killian ran to Rumple's arms.

 

The pawnbroker picked up his grandson and sighed. "'Tis always somethin' with us, isn't it?"

 

Now coffee was running in a huge stain all over the floor and Rumple's Gucci loafers.

 

Regina closed her book and looked around. "We better take care of this before someone comes by."

 

Together the two mages gestured and the floor and Rumple's shoes were fixed. Henry conjured another cup of coffee for Rumple. "Hope I got it right."

 

He'd even put it in one of the machine's cups so that it looked like it came out of the machine.

 

Rumple sipped it. It was a dark roast with some cream and some sugar. "Perfect. Thank you, Henry."

 

Killian half jumped up and down. "Umm . . .I gotta go potty."

 

"I got it...c'mon buddy." Henry took Killian's hand and led him down the hall to the restroom.

 

Rumple sighed and sipped his coffee. "I feel so stressed it's not even ME who's becoming a father today."

 

"Look at what we just got done doing," Regina reminded him. "I feel like I can sleep a week."

 

"Aye, that's why I needed this," the elder sorcerer sighed. He held the cup up. "I think I need more than this though. Maybe an entire gallon."

 

"Me too," she agreed.

 

"Maybe with a shot of whiskey," he chuckled.

 

"Not yet, if you're drunk when Aria is born Emma will kill you."

 

"She would and I would never hear the end of it from my son either. Though I'd bet all my antiques he's wishing he had some good old Johnny Walker by now."

 

"Probably."

 

"Ah well . . .we can celebrate after the blessed event." Rumple sighed.

 

Just then Killian emerged from the restroom and raced down the hallway. "Is she borned yet?" he shrieked. "Is she?!"

 

"Good God, Killian, you could scream down the walls!" Regina scolded.

 

The hyper child let out a shriek like an Indian scalping someone and jumped onto the little sofa. "I'm Shaman Shake Your Booty and I'm gonna do a dance to make Aria get born faster cause this is takin' FOR-EV-ER!"

 

He began jumping up and down all over the sofa.

 

"Killian, ye get down from there or you'll have a sore backside and time in the corner!" Rumple gave him a Look.

 

"Aww but . . ." the child protested. He stuck out his lower lip in a classic pout.

 

"One!"

 

Rumple continued to Look at him as he started counting.

 

"Don't make me get to three, lad! Two!"

 

Sulking, the boy climbed down off the couch. "You're no fun!" He was bored and out of sorts and cranky. He stamped his foot on the floor.

 

"Do ye want to be put down for a nap?" Rumple queried gently.

 

The little boy scowled. "No! M' not tired!"

 

"How about we play a game on my phone?" Henry offered.

 

Killian shook his head stubbornly. He actually was tired, and he wanted Bae to snuggle with but Bae was with Emma watching Aria get born and suddenly he felt very left out. "I wish I was home!" he whined. "Had 'nough vacation!" Abruptly he burst into tears.

 

Henry hugged him. "Hey don't cry, buddy. I'm sleepy so why don't we take a nap and then we can see everybody when we wake up?"

 

Henry remembered having similar tantrums when he felt alone and he could always coax Regina to nap with him.

 

The former queen smiled, knowing exactly what her son was trying to do.

 

Killian put his arms around his brother. "M' not tired!" he sniffled rebelliously.

 

"Yes you are..." He waved his hand and Jack appeared. "You can even hold Jack while you sleep."

 

Kilian took the crocodile in his arm. "'Kay. Guess m' kinda sleepy." He yawned, laying his head down on Henry's shoulder.

 

The two of them made an adorable sight that the others captured on their phones.

 

Rumple smiled. "There's one for the family album." He tousled his grandsons' hair. "I knew the wee imp was overtired but he wouldn't admit it."

 

"They never do," Regina said.

 

"No. Bae was like that too. I always knew when he was overtired because he'd get cranky and whiny . . .and usually make a mess somewhere and try and pretend he didn't do it. He was a lovable scamp. Like these two."

 

"What can I say...it runs in the family."

 

Rumple nodded, then he settled back against the sofa and put his arm about his now sleeping grandchildren, humming an old Scottish lullaby.

Regina and Selene recorded it on their phones, thinking it was the sweetest thing they'd ever seen.

 

Rumple's eyes closed too for despite the jolt of caffeine he was running on adrenaline now.

 

Regina yawned. "Wake me up when someone comes, will you?" she asked Archie.

 

"Of course."

 

Meanwhile back in the delivery room, Emma was concentrating hard, summoning all her strength to push her baby out into the world. "Ahh . . .Bae . . .don't know . . .if I can do this . . ."

 

"You can . . .I know you can . . ." he encouraged. "You've done it before . . .your body remembers . . ." he kept his voice to a low hum, almost hypnotic.

 

"Push, Emma!" Dr. Pagano coached.

 

Emma bore down, and she felt some of the pressure ease.

 

"Okay, relax!" the doctor said. " Baby's almost halfway down."

 

"Come on Emma!" Belle encouraged.

 

Bae fed her some ice chips. "See? You're doing good."

 

Emma panted. "Just glad . . .I can't feel anything except . . .pressure . . ." She sucked the ice chips greedily, her mouth was dry.

 

"And ice helps? How?" Belle inquired.

 

"M' thirsty . . .but if I drink water . . .it'll come back up again . . ." Emma replied. She could feel contractions rippling throug her as she spoke.

 

She shut her eyes briefly, resting and marshalling her strength.

 

Bae stared at her. "Em . . .you going to sleep?"

 

"That's normal," Dr. Pagano informed him. "She knows to rest between contractions. It's work having a baby."

 

Belle was remembering as many details as she could so that she would be well prepared for her own experience with childbirth.

 

"But is she gonna wake up when it's time to push again?" Bae asked, concerned.

 

"Yup. Trust me, she will," the doctor snickered. "Your body tells you when. And she's doing great. Some women are built to have kids . . .she's one of them."

"And how do you know a woman isn't?" Belle asked worriedly.

 

"Umm . . .it's all about body structure. Some women are narrow hipped and when it comes to having kids . . .that's a problem because when you're in childbirth your pelvis doesn't spread as much and it's a lot harder for the baby to fit down the birth canal and through the cervix. It's usually also those women who tend to have babies with large heads and that makes it even more tough and usually ends up resulting in a C-section. But Emma's got the right structure for this. And she's young and healthy. That helps a lot."

 

"Oh...I see..."

 

The doctor looked at Belle inquiringly. "In case you were wondering, Mrs. Gold . . .you have the right build also. You're small, but your hips are well set apart. And it's the smaller women who oddly enough tend to have easier births as long as the baby's not too big."

 

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Well....I do want to add to the family...."

 

"Is your husband a big guy? Because that's usually where problems come in--small women marrying six to six and a half foot tall men with linebacker structures . . .and they end up having 8 and 10 lb kids."

 

"My papa's on the small side," Bae replied. "Smaller than I am."

 

"He's five feet seven," Belle informed her.

 

"Then you should have no problem. Any baby of yours will be on average 6-8lbs at most," the doctor predicted. She checked her watch. "Hmm . . .I'd say we're due for another contraction pretty soon."

 

Emma woke up as the pressure in her lower back and pelvis built to a crescendo. "Oh . . .I need to . . ." she half stood in the stirrups and began to push again.

 

"Good job, Emma!" Pagano called. "Head's almost out."

 

Belle looked up at the camera in tears.

 

Sweat streamed down Emma's face. "She's almost here . . .Bae . . ." She was exhausted but she knew her work wasn't done.

 

 _Just a little bit longer Rumple and our granddaughter will be here_ , Belle thought.

 

"C'mon, wild swan . . .you can do it . . ." Bae urged, not even caring if his hand was mangled for life.

 

"One more big push, and the head's out," the OB urged. "Ready?"

 

They all counted.

 

Emma pushed on three . . .and the baby's head emerged.

 

"She's almost here!"

 

Emma gripped Bae's hand. "God . . .m' so tired, Bae . . ."

 

"Just a bit more Emma and you can rest...." Belle said softly.

 

"It's almost over, hon." The doctor called. She had her hands ready to catch the baby. "One more will do it."

 

"I can handle it," the sheriff assured her.

 

"Of course you can honey."

 

Once again she felt a tremendous pressure and she half-crouched. "Bae . . .help me . . .up . . ." she groaned.

 

Her husband put his arms about her and helped raise her up till she was sitting. "Push, sweetheart!"

 

"Okay....Aria....time to come out now!" she cried and pushed with all her strength.

 

And with one last contraction Aria slipped into the doctor's arms.

 

There was silence for about two seconds, then the strident howl of their newborn daughter filled the room.

 

"Hello, everyone! I'm here!" she seemed to be saying.

 

"There she is Bae...there's our little girl!" Emma sobbed.

 

Dr. Pagano placed the baby on Emma's tummy. "There you go, darlin'. Say hi to your mama and papa!" She held out surgical scissors to Bae. "You want to do the honors, Dad?"

 

Bae took the scissors. "Umm . . .you sure I'm not gonna hurt her?"

 

"No . . .we've tied off the cord . . .just cut between the sutures," said the nurse.

 

Bae carefully cut the cord.

 

"There you go! She's all yours!"

 

"I'll go tell your father and the boys she's here," Belle whispered to Bae, wanting to give the parents time alone with their daughter first.

 

"Thanks, Ma," Bae said, his eyes all misty as he looked at his baby in Emma's arms. "Look, Em! She's got hair that sticks up! Like mine in the morning!"

 

The baby had tufts of light brown hair sticking up all over her head.

 

Emma was cooing to her. "Oh . . .you're such a beautiful baby! Bae, she has my eyes and your nose!"

 

Then Emma Swan Gold looked into her daughter's eyes and allowed herself to do something she never had with her son--fall in love with her the moment she was born--because this baby was hers to keep and never give up.

_Mine. Mine forever._

 

And like her mother, someday this child would do great things.

 

Bae leaned over to kiss his wife. "She's just perfect, Emma. Our little cygnet." A cygnet was a baby swan.

 

Baby Aria cooed at him in agreement, her eyes tracking on him.

No one will ever call you the ugly duckling baby, Emma vowed.

 

"Okay, Mama and Papa, we need to get this little peanut weighed and cleaned up," said the head OB nurse.

 

"And you still have a little more work to do, Emma," said Dr. Pagano.

"Bae...you uhhh might want to look away..." she warned her husband.

 

"Huh? Why?" he asked, puzzled. "You've had the baby so . . ."

"Umm I have to deliver the afterbirth..."

 

"Oh . . .err . . ." He grimaced. Then he helped her sit up again. "I've seen it before, Em. When our goat had twins . . .Papa didn't know I sneaked out into the barn to watch at three in the morning . . . "

 

"Good then you're not gonna pass out."

 

"No . . .did that already . . .s'how Papa found me . . .I knocked over the milk stool," Bae giggled.

 

She could only imagine the expression on Rumple's face.

 

"When I came to I thought Papa was gonna wallop me into next week for scaring him to death." Her husband admitted.

 

"Let me finish this up and then you can tell me all about it."

 

"Okay." He supported her while she delivered the afterbirth.

 

Then the nurses set about cleaning her up and helped her onto a clean gurney to wheel her into the private room they had made for her.

 

"Where's my baby?" she asked, feeling alarm shoot through her.

 

"She's just being weighed and measured and all that," soothed the doctor. "Nurse Kelly will bring her in as soon as she's done."

 

Bae walked beside her as they wheeled her into a nicely appointed room and said, "So . . .I thought Papa was gonna wallop my butt . . .I mean I was all of eight years old and had come out without a jacket on or shoes . . .in my pajamas . . .and I had hay all over me and everything . . ."

 

"Did he?"

 

"No . . .he picked me up, brushed me off, and asked if I was okay. I said I was and he made me stand in the corner for five minutes for scaring him out of ten years of his life. Then he sat me on his lap and said, "Son, if ye wanted to see the goat birthin' all ye had to do was ask me."

Emma laughed. "At least it prepared you a bit for this."

 

By then the nurse had returned with Aria, who weighed 7lbs 2 oz and was 20 inches long. She put Aria in Emma's arms and said, "Here's your mama, sweet thing. She was very good, except she complained about being away from you."

 

"She's part Charming...we can't be apart long," Emma quipped.

 

"Yeah i think she's always gonna be able to find us," Bae snickered. "Right, babydoll?"

 

Aria burbled at him happily, waving a tiny fist.

 

Emma kissed her daughter's head. "Here, Papa. It's your turn."

 

Bae took Aria in his arms. She fit in the crook of his arm. "She's so tiny! Like a . . .loaf of bread! I can't believe she's really here . . .and she's all ours."

 

"A loaf of bread!" Emma cuffed him. "Our daughter is not a loaf of bread!"

 

"Oww!" her husband yelped. "Well, she's little . . ." he said defensively.

"So what? You're crusin for a bruising Gold!"

 

"Your mama's a little overprotective," he said to their daughter. "Like a grizzly bear."

 

Aria squalled at him.

 

"You bet I am. She's my cub and I'll tear apart anyone who tries to hurt her."

 

"Yeah and I wouldn't have it any other way. Right, princess?" he kissed Aria's cheek.

 

The baby let out another loud cooing noise.

 

"Sounds like the wee lass has a good set of lungs on her. Like her papa," Rumple said, entering the room, followed by the rest of the family. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh she does. And she's ready to see you aren't you sweetheart?"

 

Killian laughed "She's got bed head!" He pointed to the strands of hair sticking up. "An why's she all red? She cook too long?"

 

Regina started giggling. "She just got born, Killian!"

 

"All babies look like that when they get born," Bae said, and he handed his daughter to her grandfather.

 

Rumple took the tiny miracle in his arms and said, "Hello, my itty bitty imp! Are ye happy to see us?"

 

Aria made a burbling sound up at him, and one small hand closed over his nose.

 

Rumple smiled down at her, his eyes wet. "Ahh . . .you're a Gold all right. Your papa did the very same thing to me as a bairn. The very same thing!"

 

Belle was crying too and was all the more determined to give him another child he could raise to adulthood this time without a curse coming between them.

 

The master sorcerer blinked hard and muttered, "'Tis a waterfall you've made o' me, baby girl. But no matter. Now there's something I must do, dearie. As the Namer I must seal your Name to me . . .an this way none shall ever be able to take ye without me knowing."

 

As he cradled the baby in one arm, he held his star pendant in his other hand and traced certain symbols in the air above the baby's head. "By the Law of the Balance, as Keeper, Namer, and Master of All Magic, I, Rumplestiltskin Gold, do Name thee Aria Irene Gold--daughter of two magical bloodlines, bringer of peace and light aspiring. May you be thrice blessed for all your days and follow your heart home. I Seal thee to me with True Love's kiss!"

 

Then he kissed the baby three times--once on the forehead, once on the mouth and once over her heart.

 

The star glowed and a wash of white and purple light shone down upon the baby and her grandfather, binding them together in a magical link that nothing short of death would break . . .and even then he would be able to seek her spirit in the afterworld.

 

When the star's light dimmed, Rumple set the pendant back underneath his shirt and rocked Aria who was wailing softly, as the light hurt her eyes. "Shh . . shh . .. my bonny lass . . .I know . . 'tis a bit of a shock . . .but it's done now, dearie."

 

Rumple patted Aria's back as he held her on his shoulder and said in a high squeaky voice, "Now I bet you're saying, what the hell's wrong wit ye, ye daft idiot! Right?" He giggled softly.

 

"Oh I doubt that. She's probably going to be just like you...and her parents," joked Archie.

 

His granddaughter made a sound remarkably like a laugh.

 

"She even has the giggle!" the former cricket pointed out.

 

"Can I see her, Grandpa?" Henry asked.

 

"Of course. Aria, meet your elder brother, Henry. He's the one who's gonna try and keep you from mischief and prevent you from being in serious trouble with us grown-ups."

 

He let Henry hold his sister.

 

"Whoa! She's tiny! Like a button!"

 

Aria seemed to frown. Emma laughed. "She's a bit sensitive about her size."

 

She wrapped her hand around Henry's finger and squeezed tightly.

 

"Okay, you' re not tiny!" Henry chuckled and she relaxed her grip.

 

"Yes, lad, watch how you tease her about being little. We Stiltskins don't like being reminded of it," Rumple grinned.

 

"Good things come in small packages," Belle said.

 

"Yeah now let me see her," said Killian, standing on tiptoe.. "Hey, Aria! I'm your OTHER big brother . . .and we're gonna have lots of fun together."

 

Bae groaned. "Now why does that sound like the knell of doom?"

 

"If you don't keep an eye on them, it will be," Rumple advised.

 

"I'm gonna need eyes in the back of my head!" his son sighed.

 

"You'll develop them. I did," said Regina with a laugh.

 

"Well she's a new Nevenger so's she's gotta have some 'ventures!" Killian insisted.

 

"And mishaps!" Archie added with a laugh.

 

"I'm sure she will," Emma laughed.

 

Regina took Aria in her arms next. "Such a pretty princess . . .royal on both sides . . .by blood and by magic. And heaven help the man who dares to claim your heart."

 

She smiled down at the tiny girl, almost like a fae child, and thought it had been too long since she had held a baby in her arms. Perhaps she could have her own once she was married. Perhaps . . .and then her child and this Gold daughter could grow up together—Nevengers forever.

“Yes because that man will have to go through both brothers, her dad, and her grandpa, not to mention her mum, grandma, and aunt!” Selene said, her eyes sparkling. “If there’s anything left of him by the time he gets to her, he’ll be a lucky bloke!”

“And that’s saying something!” hooted Archie.

Belle was the next to hold her granddaughter, snuggling the baby to her, delighting in the feel of the baby in her arms, her heart bursting with love for this child, who she had watched come into the world. “Hello, sweetling. You will be loved and cherished always, because you are our hope for the future.” She kissed the baby on the forehead.

Rumple smiled as he took a picture of his wife and granddaughter on his phone. Belle looked so natural with Aria. He resolved to attempt to give her a child of her own to love as soon as possible. He no longer saw himself as a failure as a father. All parents made mistakes, but nobody was perfect. And he wanted to know the joy again of holding a new life in his arms.

Last but not least was Archie, who was a bit nervous when Belle placed Aria in his arms. She was so small he feared he would drop her. But when he smiled at her and she gurgled up at him he felt as though he held a tiny portion of the miracle that was the creation of the universe. As her hand closed over his thumb, he looked at the proud parents and said, “She truly is a wonder and a marvel.”

“That she is,” agreed Rumple. “A child is the best kind of magic, dearie.”


	9. Poetic Justice and Overdue Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Selene is finally reunited with her parents, Detective Carlyle and his family decide to move to Storybrooke and Cruella De Vil's day of judgment approaches.

9  
~ Poetic Justice and Overdue Reunions ~

 

Yorkshire, England

 

Roger Dearly was out for his morning walk with Dipstick, a Dalmatian descendant of his beloved Pongo and Anita’s Perdy. He missed his friend terribly but Pongo and Perdy left many descendants behind from their original fifteen puppies and so had their stepchildren. There was never a time when Roger and Anita were alone in their large farmhouse yet there was still a void that not even 101 Dalmatians could fill. Every day they held onto the hope that the phone call would come telling them their Selene was alive and wanted to see them. They did get quite a few of those calls over the years from fortune seeking impostors and sent them on their way when they couldn’t answer the question that would distinguish the real Selene from an impostor…how Roger described his love for Anita to their daughter in the short time she’d been in their lives. They were looking for a specific phrase….love at first swat, not love at first sight as the others answered. 

Anita was sitting on the sofa watching the morning news with Jewel, another of Pongo and Perdy’s female descendants. Roger unhooked Dipstick from his lead and kissed Anita on the cheek. 

“Did you have a nice walk?” she inquired softly. 

“Yes. Anything interesting on the telly this morning?” 

“No.” 

Just then the telephone rang. Roger picked up the receiver. “Hello?” 

“Roger…it’s Inspector Hardy.” 

Inspector Hardy was the young officer who was working on the Dearlys’ case in his spare time, believing as the couple did that their daughter was still alive, as was Cruella the Butcher.

“Inspector Hardy….” 

“I’ve just gotten a very interesting phone call from a man named Archibald Hopper. He claims to be a pyschologist in a place in the States called Storybrooke.” 

“What did he say, Inspector?”

"He said that….they have Cruella De Vil in custody in Florida…and your daughter…..”

“They’ve found Selene?! Is she….?” Anita trailed off. 

“The woman with him claims to be Selene and she wants to see you…” 

“She does? Can you check on this for us please, Alex? If it’s true we’ll fly out there right way!” Roger exclaimed. 

“I certainly can. Give me a bit and I’ll ring you back.” 

The couple embraced as soon as Roger disconnected the call, the Dalmatians racing around them and barking excitedly. This was the first time they’d seen their humans this happy in months. 

Orlando, Florida

 

Early the following day Nick was contacted by Rumple Gold asking him if he wanted to pay them a visit to see the newest member of the family. He was more than happy to go, after all, the family treated him like a close friend. Once he told his children where he was going, Bobby and Annie wanted to see the baby too. 

He was on his way out when he received a phone call from the station telling him that an officer from a police department in England was seeking information on a suspect they had in custody. Nick sighed. He knew the British authorities would contact them sooner or later once word got out they had Cruella in custody. 

Luckily his kids were too busy making a card to welcome Baby Aria to mind the delay when he took the call.

"Am I speaking with Detective Carlyle?”

"You are. What can I do for you?"

"I am Inspector Alex Hardy of the West Yorkshire Police department here in England....I was contacted by a Doctor Archibald Hopper claiming that you have a kidnapping suspect we've been seeking in custody there. Is that correct?"

"Yes. Her alias here was Carla Paddington, but you'd know her by her real name—Cruella De Vil."

"Yes we do. I don't know if the crown wants to pursue extradition or not, I'm calling on behalf of Roger and Anita Dearly. There's also been a claim made that their daughter Selene is alive, Can you verify this?”

"Yes. I've talked with the young woman whose name is Selene Paddington, for years she was brainwashed to forget who she was--Selene Dearly--and she grew up thinking Carla was her real mother. She was put under hypnosis by Dr. Hopper and the hypnosis penetrated the memory blocks and that's when she recalled who she really was."

"Excellent. I will let her parents know and we will fly out there immediately."

"Good. I look forward to seeing you. Oh and just so you're aware, Cruella was running a kidnapping ring here in Orlando with an accomplice called Grigori Putin--a Russian immigrant with ties to Rasputin. But he's since expired of heart failure, so he's no longer a problem."

"Any deaths?"

"They killed a fellow officer, my best friend, Brian, and a few others, four counts of murder she admitted to. And the disappearance of several children . . .whom I believe must be dead also," Nick said heavily.

"Off the record Detective, if the crown presses for extradition I strongly suggest your DA fights it. The penalty she will receive here is life imprisonment...nothing more."

"I'll tell him so . . .I want her given the death penalty . . .and she will be here in Florida," Nick said heatedly.

"We've tried to get it reinstated but there's been no progress."

"Well here it all depends on the state you're in. Some have it and some don't," Nick sighed.

"And as I'm sure you're aware...over here...not many countries have it either."

"Yes. I'm an advocate for it for certain criminals--like rapists, child molesters, child killers, serial killers. Off the record--those fuckers are not able to be rehabilitated and you're just wasting tax payers money by keeping them alive. They deserve to be put up against a wall and shot. Merciful justice."

"I agree with you Detective as do many officers here but those bleeding hearts in Parliament think it's cruel punishment. Cruel punishment? If they saw what I have over the years or had it happen to one of their own, the story would be quite different, wouldn't it?"

"Oh yes, it would. Sometimes I still have nightmares over things I've seen on cases. What's cruel is giving these scum chances to hurt another innocent if they escape because nine times out of ten they'll do it again first chance they get. Look at the Dugard case. Now there was a fuck up if ever there was one."

"Oh I can cite a few off the top o'my head here too."

"Me too. Well, I'll let you go and give the good news to the Dearlys. I have to visit some friends of mine who just had a baby girl . . ." he paused because now he could hear his children quarreling. "Robert and Anne! Knock it off!" he snapped. "Sorry, my kids are being pains in the ass today."

Hardy laughed. "All right. I'll phone you when we arrive."

"Be seeing you then. Bye."

Carlyle hung up then turned to deal with his two terrors, who were fighting over who got to sign the card first and whether or not Annie should give the baby her new Hallmark teddy bear.

"I want to give her my Snoopy!" Bobby argued.

"You can't give her THAT! It's od and grungy!" Annie cried. "Dad, tell him he's being a stupid head!"

"Am not! You're stupider!"

"Girls go to mars to drive fancy cars, boys got to Jupiter cause they are stupider!" his sister chanted.

"Daad! She's starting again!"

"And I'M finishing it," the exasperated detective said. "Stop fighting or else neither of you are coming with me to see the baby, you can stay home and I'll call Maria," he threatened. Maria was their sitter.

"Nooo!" wailed his daughter. "We'll be good!"

"Yeah we don't wanna stay home!" his son whined.

"All right, then behave. And we'll pick up a gift for the baby on the way to the hospital so you don't need to fight over what to give her. And you can both sign the card so it doesn't matter who goes first."

He cleared his throat. "Now say you're sorry to each other and shake hands."

His children obeyed and then they finished making the card and finally they were on their way to the hospital.

Belle was having a wonderful time in the hospital gift shop finding things for her new granddaughter. She saw people looking at her strange but she didn't care.

Detective Carlyle entered the gift shop with his kids in tow, and said quietly, "Both of you pick out ONE thing each to give the baby. And no fighting or else you're gonna have a sore butt and time out when we get home, clear?"

"Okay, Dad!" they promised.

"Hello Detective," Belle greeted warmly.

"Hey, Belle! Congratulations, I hear you're a grandma now."

"Yes I am," she declared proudly and held up a onesie that read Grandma's Little Angel.

"Aww! I bet that'll look great on her. Rumple invited me down to see the baby and I brought my kids . . .who for a change aren't driving me up a wall," he gestured to them who were standing by a balloon display picking out a balloon.

"And perhaps you should visit us in Storybrooke too when your wife is better. It's quiet for the most part."

"You know . . I was thinking about doing that. Orlando's gotten very . . .crowded lately and after what happened . . .I feel like I'm not able to protect my family like I'm used to. Perhaps we'd do well to look into relocating over there?"

She smiled. "Well....I'm sure my husband can get you at deal on a place to live."

"Dad, we picked out this balloon," Annie said, showing him a pink one with the words It's A Girl on it and some hearts and bottles. "But this isn't the gift, just the accessory." She handed her father the balloon.

"The accessory, huh?" Nick laughed. "You're just like your mom." He watched as they ran over to a display of stuffed animals next. "I'll talk to him about it. If I can get a job there I'll consider it."

"Emma could use some help...." Belle suggested.

"I would be happy to do so. I've been up for sheriff several times now but I'm not much for politics," Nick admitted.

"I'm not either but the position in our town seems to be a lifetime one."

"I wouldn't mind my position being that way," Nick chuckled.

Bobby rushed over to them holding a cute stuffed beagle with a heart in its paws. "Look, Dad! It's Snoopy with a heart in it!"

Nick kneeled down to see it better. "That's a great gift, buddy! I'm sure she'll like it."

Bobby beamed happily. Then he called, "Annie, hurry up! The patrol car's leavin'!"

"That's what I'm loving about being a grandma....I can spoil her rotten!" Belle laughed.

His sister rolled her eyes. "Keep your shirt on, Robert! M'tryin' to decide!"

"And like my mother-in-law always says--when they misbehave you can give them back to their parents," Nick said.

"Oh of course!"

Annie came up holding a gray kitten wearing a shirt that said--Congratulations on Your Bundle of Joy. "Dad, I think this one's the best. Cause puppies and kittens go together and you need one of each."

"That's beautiful, honey. And when are you gonna stop hinting that we ought to adopt a dog and a cat, huh?"

"When we get one. You said when I was five . . .and I am now."

Nick groaned. "She doesn't miss a trick, this one. I said that when she was three."

"Dad, if we get a puppy, I wanna beagle," Bobby piped up.

"No, a Dalmatian!" his sister insisted.

"Why can't we get one that's both kinds?" her brother wanted to know.

"Cause there's no such dog," Annie said.

"Actually, it's called a mutt and we'll see," their father said, and he gave them a Look.

"I can tell you a secret....there'll be some puppies soon," said Belle.

"Oh really? Well, my wife's birthday is coming up . . if they're born then and I'm over in your neck of the woods . . ."

"They should be...Pongo and Perdy didn't waste any time," Belle giggled.

"Dogs can't afford to," Nick returned, grinning. "All right, are we all set, kids?"

"Uh huh! Let's go see the baby!" Bobby said. He held out his arms. "Dad, can you carry me? I can't walk as fast."

Nick picked up his son and went to pay for the gifts.

"I'd better get going too," Belle paid for her purchases and left the shop.

A few minutes later Nick and the kids joined her. Annie was skipping and singing "We're Off to See the Wizard!" beside Nick and holding the balloon and the kitten.

Belle smiled. Yes, they would fit into their little town rather well.

When they arrived in the room, Rumple was giving instructions to Bae on how to burp the baby. " . . .you have to pat her back or her bottom firmly, Bae. She's not gonna break. You don't do that and she's not gonna be able to burp and she'll throw up on you cause her tummy's hurting."

"But Papa, my whole hand covers her back . . ." Bae was holding Aria on his shoulder.

"Aye, so does mine. Here, watch!" Rumple said. He took a white burpee draped it over his shirt and took the squealing Aria from her clueless father. "Okay, dearie . . .we're gonna fix your tummy . . ." He held the baby firmly and gave her three quick pats. Aria belched loudly. "There you go! That's better, hey?" He rubbed the tiny back and was rewarded with a smaller burp. "See? It's easy. Especially if she's not colicky."

"Oh, I'll need to learn that Rumple," Belle said softly.

"I'll show you, sweetheart," Rumple said, and then noticed Nick. "Hello, Detective! Here's my new grandbaby, Aria Irene!" he showed Nick the baby proudly.

"Oh she's a heartbreaker, Rum!" Nick cooed at the baby. "May I?"

Rumple handed her to him.

Nick took the baby and held her easily. "Look, Bobby, Annie . . .say hi to Aria." He knelt so the kids could see the baby.

Bobby went and kissed her cheek. "Hi, Aria. I'm Bobby."

Aria gurgled at him.

"Good job, buddy!"

"Now it's my turn!" Annie said. "Hiya, honey bun! That's what my Nana says. And then she pinches your cheek but m' not gonna do that cause I hate it . . .I'm Annie Carlyle." She held out her hand and the baby grabbed it. "Wow! You can shake hands already!"

"She's a bit of a showgirl....like her grandpa," Emma teased.

Belle was taking more pictures for the family album while the rest of the group was in the waiting room. Robin and Roland arrived that morning and Regina was filling them in on everything and getting them settled.

Archie and Selene were waiting to hear back from Inspector Hardy about the Dearlys. The couple would fly to England if that was what Selene's parents wished.

Nick placed Aria in Bae's arms and said to his kids,"Why don't you give Emma your gifts for the baby, while I talk to Mr. Gold for a minute?"

As the kids went to show Emma the presents, Nick beckoned to Rumple. "Belle told me that you'd like me to come up north for a visit . . .and I was wondering if you'd like to make it permanent . . .once I speak to my wife that is?"

"Yes, I would. And we would be glad for you to join us . . .although you'd have to let your wife in our little secret . . .and your kids also."

"I already have. She was skeptical at first . . .but she comes from a long line of . . .wise women they called them back in the day . . .and so she didn't find your origins too difficult to believe in."

He waved a hand at his children. "As for those two--my son believes Snoopy and Charlie Brown live somewhere in America and my lass believes fairies live in our garden. So knowing you can do magic like Merlin and Harry Potter is no big deal."

Emma laughed. "Rumple's our Hogwarts professor."

"Oh? Where's your robes?" teased Nick.

"That's so old fashioned, dearie. I prefer my leather pants and silk shirt." Rumple smirked.

Killian and Henry came into the room. "Hey, who're you guys?" Killian asked Bobby and Annie.

"I'm Bobby Carlyle n' that's my sister, Annie." Bobby held out his hand. "My dad helped your grandpa put Cruella in the slammer."

"Yeah with fat Bertha, Bubba's sister," added Annie.

Killian smirked. "Yeah she's gonna be her little ho on a leash."

"Like a dog," agreed Annie.

"She killed lotsa puppies," Bobby said angrily. "And she was gonna kill us too her an' Mr. Pervert. They oughta put her in a room with lotsa hungry stray dogs and let them eat her up."

"Nah she'd make em sick," Killian disagreed. "An Perdy can't get sick cause she's gonna have puppies."

"Yeah Perdy hates her enough to want to eat her," Henry added.

"Maybe they can shove her in the cage with the lions n'tigers then. They can eat anything . . .and everyone," Bobby suggested.

Annie wrinkled her nose. "That's kinda gross . . .but since it's her--who cares?"

"You said yesterday we should shove her in a big microwave n' vaporize her," Bobby pointed out.

"Least we wouldn't need to see it," Annie replied.

"How'd you like my new baby sister?" asked Henry curiously.

"She's really cute!" Annie gushed. "Like a little doll!"

"You shoulda seen her yesterday... She was having a bad hair day an she cooked too long but she's still cute," joked Killian.

Bobby giggled. "She's kinda funny . . .her head's sorta pointy at the top like a gnome."

"But she's smart. She can shake hands," Annie pointed out. "Cause she's a girl and girls are born with manners."

"Yeah right. You forgot to thank Nana yesterday for giving us cookies," her brother reminded her.

"Did not! I said so before we got 'em, smarty pants."

"Bad form mates," Killian scolded.

Both siblings looked ashamed.

Henry snickered, thinking it was funny to see his little brother playing the responsible one for a change.

"What?" Killian demanded of him.

"You kinda reminded me of Dad there for a minute, that's all. Like when we fight over playing SuperMario Kart."

"Does he tell ya you're getting on his last nerve?" asked Annie.

"And if you don't quit it your butt's gonna talk to his hand?" added her brother.

"Ummm kinda..."

"Does he count ta three?" Annie asked.

"Yep an so does Grandpa."

"And then you get a swat n' the corner," recited Bobby. "Least we do."

"Yup an it really sucks."

"Yeah it does, n' my dad gets the Disappointed Look on his face," Annie declared.

"Hate that Look," Killian muttered.

The two Carlyle children nodded in agreement.

"So have ya gone on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride yet?" asked Bobby.

"And the Beauty and the Beast teacups?"

"Belle an Rumple like the teacups an I don't 'member if we went on that or not...did we Henry?"

"Yeah we did . . and you thought you were gonna come out of the cart," his brother said.

"Oh...forgot cause we were trying to bust Pukin and the hag."

"Ya mean the perv? Why you call him that?" asked Bobby.

"Cause Henry puked on him!"

Annie giggled hysterically.

Bobby hi-fived him. "Wicked!"

"Yeah but it was scary too cause Pukin looked like he wanted to hurt Henry bad."

"But your dad wouldn't let him," Henry said. "He made him back off."

"Dad don't let any creep hurt kids," Bobby assured him.

"Neither do Mom, Dad an Grandpa."

"Dad said your mom's a cop too," Annie said.

"Uh-huh but she's more n'that. She broke a bad curse that made us all forget who we were."

"Cause your family's like superheroes, right? Mr. Gold n' Regina saved us from the devil lady n' Pukin," Bobby clarified. "Only we'll never tell anybody about it cause it's a secret."

"Yep. Cause they'd lock us all up with the nuts."

"That's cause they don't know any better," Annie said. "Somethings you can't see with your eyes . . .or only if you believe . . .and other things you can see with your heart."

"How come you believe us?" The little pirate frowned. "I know ya saw some stuff but like Archie says they'd make it look like it was some kinda after stress stuff." 

"Cause we saw what Mr. Gold and Regina did . . .and we know Cruella an' Pukin were gonna do some bad juju magic on us--like in the voodoo movies," Bobby told him. "Plus he was a perv that pinched my butt."

"Ewww sick!"

"Yeah and Dad said you all had magic powers--like Harry Potter." added the detective's daughter.

"And he told Mom you were people from fairy tales come alive," added Bobby.

"I don't an Dad don't. I just useta be a pirate but I was bad so I wanted to be a kid again so's I can grow up right this time."

"When'd you hear that?" Annie asked her brother.

"Yesterday when we was visitng Mom here," Bobby answered. "You fell asleep n' I was comin' outta the potty and I heard him say that to her. Only they didn't know I heard cause then I 'tended to be asleep on the chair."

"Gave ya enough clues so who you think I was?"

"You were a pirate," Annie answered.

"Captain Hook," Bobby replied. "Cept you gots both hands. An' you're a kid."

"Yeah but that was 'fore Rumple gave me my hand back. He's sposta be the Beast...Belle's kinda obvious...Regina 's the Evil Queen reformed an Emma is Snow and Charming's kid. Archie is Jiminy Cricket."

"What're you?" Annie asked Henry.

"Well...I'm Rumplestiltskin's grandson and the grandson of Snow and Charming.. "

"And who's your dad?"

"Baelfire...Rumple's son."

"Do you all gots powers?" Bobby wanted to know.

"No. And Mom and I are still learning."

"Yeah but you can still send baddies like Pan, the hag an Pukin to hell for Lucifie's stew pot!" Killian bragged.

"Like my dad sends all the crooks to jail," Annie said. "You don't need powers for that, you just need to use your head."

"Yeah but magic baddies gotta be beat by magic."

"Yeah we know. Like what Mr. Gold n'Regina did."

"They can even kick butt when they change to kids like we kicked Pan's butt."

"But Peter Pan's good, so why'd you kick his butt?" asked Bobby, puzzled.

"He was Rumple's dick dad who gave Rumple away so he could stay a kid an turn Neverland inta hell."

The two gasped. "An' how'd you beat him?"

"We broke the hourglass that had his power in it so he rotted an went to Hell."

"Cool! But now there's no more Peter Pan?"

"There's a nice one named Gabriel."

"That's good. An' are there still Lost Boys?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah Gabriel's lookin after em."

"That's good. How long you gonna be here anyway?"

"Umm...I dunno...up to Mom an Dad."

"As long as we want I guess if Grandpa pays," Henry said with a grin.

"Maybe we could go to the park together," suggested Annie. "Only I don't like to go on It's A Small World. Those dolls are creepy n' remind me of Chuckie."

"That would be cool."

"Or Slappy on Goosebumps," Bobby said.

"Or maybe ya can move where we live an ya can be the new Nevengers. I got openings cause Belle Rumple an Regina can't be kids anymore."

"I wish!" sighed Bobby. "Maybe we can beg Dad?"

Annie looked thoughtful. "Umm . . . we gotta have reasons . . ya know like evidence."

"How bout you'd have lots more friends an your dad won't havta be gone all the time?"

"Uh huh! That's good!" Annie exclaimed.

"And there ain't no creepy pervs an' devil ladies to take us away," Bobby pointed out.

"Nope. Only problem I have is with some jerk named Matt an the Blue Butthole."

"Who's that?" they asked.

"Ah the Blue Fairy but she's a kid now too an Maleficent is raisin her but she's giving her grey hairs."

"She's not nice like in the stories?" Annie queried.

"Nope...an just as mean as a kid but we kicked her butt a few times too."

"Where's she live?"

"Next ta Rumple an Belle."

Bobby made a face. "Yuck! Betcha she's nasty to have next door."

"Yeah," Henry agreed. "She's alway starting with Killian and once she threw apples at my grandpa's car when my grandma was learning how to drive and one at her too. Hit her in the chest. Grandpa got re-e-a-lly mad too--and he paddled her butt for it."

"She 'served it!" Bobby said. Then he asked, "He's allowed to do that?"

"Only cause Mal said he could," Henry replied.

The adults watched the children talking, Belle and Rumple taking it as a sure sign that Storybrooke's population would grow by one family.

Nick observed also and said, "They seem to be getting along like a house afire. And normally . . .my boy is shy and my girl's a bit outspoken and if anybody makes fun of her brother--the lass pops 'em one. She's my spitfire, he's my thinker."

"Well our kids love getting new friends," Emma said as she tickled her daughter.

"Mine are picky, and mostly have friends among my colleagues, you know us cops stick together," Nick said.

"They don't have many their age?" asked Belle.

"No . . . my wife and I . . .we don't like to send my son to those public daycare/preschools . . .they're not well run and well . . .we have a woman named Maria who watches the kids for us when we work. Annie goes to kindergarten and she has a few friends, but . . .like I said, she's picky and . . . . she's got a very good imagination and a lot of her classmates think she's kind of weird. Plus she's a cop's daughter and she hates bullies. She's already threatened several mean kids with getting arrested and sent down to juvie where they make you eat bugs."

"Kids are cruel to those of us who are different," Emma said bitterly.

"Yes, they are," agreed Rumple, who had been tormented and mocked for all of his childhood because of his father.

"Some of 'em need their heads knocked together," Bae said heatedly, for he also had been the victim of bullies-until he'd grown bigger and able to fight back.

"Aye, they do . . .or your kids need to be taught to stand up for themselves . . .if they can and to know their own self-worth," Nick agreed. "I teach both my kids--don't start anything with someone, but if they attack you first, try and get help or finish it. And if anybody wants to make a big deal outta it, they can talk to me. A lot of these kids are little ruffians down here-and the only language they respect is a knuckle sandwich most times."

He shook his head. "Would you believe once I got called to break up a fight between a fifth grader and the teacher he attacked with a compass? He stabbed the poor woman in the arm for giving him a failing grade on his homework cause he didn't do the assignment!"

The detective scowled. "Eleven years old and already has a record for assault! Unbelievable! Kids these days are out of control. And he wasn't even sorry! Cussed me out like a truck driver. Lord, if I'd ever . . .my dad would've busted my butt."

"Our kids get the Ivory."

"Mine as well. But I was talking about the assault charge. I was taught to respect adult authority. But with the incidences like that one getting higher all the time, who knows what these kids are taught today? All I know is I ever raised a hand to an adult, my dad would've tanned my butt. Unless of course they were kidnapping me or something."

"They're being desensitized by what they see on TV and what they play," Archie said as he and Selene walked into the room.

"That's part of it," agreed the police officer. "And part of it's the parents who want to be friends to their kids and not parents who lay down the law and teach right from wrong. That kid I arrested-I asked him why he would do such a thing and you knw what he said? He said--the bitch was ugly and I was sick of seeing her face and I felt like it. And his parents were all for blaming the poor teacher saying their little darling was provoked."

The therapist snorted in disgust. "That boy needs a few good years of counseling to get his head straight and so do the parents."

"Sometimes, dearie, the kids turn out they way they do because you can't spank the parents," Rumple put in.

"Well no child of mine will act like that!"

"None of ours will," agreed Regina.

Nick was laughing. "Good one, Rumple! I can think of several of them who could benefit from that therapy! Speaking of parents, have you contacted the Dearlys?"

"We talked to an officer there and he said they're flying here...Selene wants to talk to them in person first," Archie replied.

"I hope this all goes well for you. To find a missing child after so long . . .alive . . .that's like a miracle right there."

"We're going to meet them at Lake Eola...and I'm just worried I won't be what they expect..." Selene said nervously.

"Hey . . .they never expected to see you alive again this side of heaven. So I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Nick reassured her. "This is a one in ten million occurance, you know."

"I know..."

"You know I'll be there with you..." Archie said gently.

"I'm sure they'll love you just as you are," Rumple said. "Because all that matters is you've found each other at last. Right, Bae?"

"Yes, Papa."

Rumple smiled contetedly. His family was his life . . .and always had been. Those who thought differently--never truly understood him at all.

Regina suggested taking the kids to the park for the rest of the day. Archie and Selene decided to go back to her apartment to start going through Cruella's things. Archie wanted to have a bonfire with it all. He sat at her desk and started going through her papers, finding at least a half a dozen forged birth certificates, drivers licenses and social security numbers as well as statements from bank accounts in Switzerland and in the Caribbean. 

“Was Cruella ever married, Selene?” he asked. 

“Twice. Both men were older and died unexpectedly,” she replied. “Now I know why. She killed them.” 

Selene buried her face in her hands. “If I’d remembered sooner….they’d still be alive…” 

“Sweetheart, it wasn’t your fault,” Archie soothed as he took her into his arms. “If you had remembered back then, she would’ve killed you too.” 

“She deserves to burn in hell for what she’s done!”

“If Rumple and Regina did what I think they did in order to defeat her…she will. In a day or so.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you speak a skinwalker’s name three times, they die in three days,” he replied. “But knowing those two…I think they sang it.” 

“You mean….that song from the cartoon?”

He nodded. 

“Oh my parents would love that!” 

“You’re still nervous about meeting them, aren’t you?”

“I’m a stranger to them, Archie.” 

“You’re still their daughter and they’re crossing an ocean to see you. I know you’ll have some issues to work out and it’ll take time but you’ll need to be as patient with them as they need be with you,” he advised. 

“We won’t be able to spend as much time together….will that bother you?”

“No. Getting to know your parents again is a priority now, Selene. We’ll have plenty of time to be together later on.” 

“I don’t think I could go back to England….I don’t even want to live here. Do you think I might be able to live where you do?”

“You want to live in Storybrooke?” 

“I could find a job there and an apartment. The rent would probably be cheaper than it is here.” 

She had no idea how relieved he was to hear her say she wanted to live in Storybrooke. He was going to ask her later on about it when things settled down and he hoped the next question he would have for her involved a ring. He knew once they kissed she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

“Rumple owns most of the town and he's been my landlord all this time. Never had any problems.”

“I doubt Mum and Dad would give up the farm.”

“We can still fly over to see them.”

She smiled. “You’re being fantastic about all this.”

“That’s what two people are supposed to do in a relationship, support each other.”

It was a refreshing change from the men she dated before.

They packed up all of Cruella's clothes to donate them to Goodwill. She would have to talk to Rumple and Cruella's lawyer about her finances but she didn't want a cent of the skin walker’s money. She would rather donate it to the families of Cruella's victims and animal shelters. 

Rumple and Belle followed the Carlyles to the the floor where Peri was staying. Peri Carlyle was nervous about meeting real live Disney characters but the man had saved her children and for that she was grateful.

Belle handed her a small vase of flowers she picked up in the gift shop. “My favorite…orchids!” she cried. “Thank you Mrs. Gold.”

“You're welcome honey.”

“Let’s see about getting you out of here, dearie,” Rumple said softly. He placed his hand on the young woman's forehead, calling on his healing magic. 

The magic flowed through her like a wave of light . . .mending and restoring . . .and when it was done she felt almost reborn.

“How do you feel honey?” Nick asked softly.

"Wonderful! Thank you Mr. Gold!"

"You are most welcome, dearie," he said sincerely, even though the healing magic left him feeling a bit drained, because the price required was paid all by the caster.

Belle helped him into a chair.

"Oh! Mr. Gold... I'm so sorry!" Peri cried.

"For what? All magic comes with a price . . .and the healing arts most of all. That's to be expected. Don't worry. I'll be fine after a good night's sleep and some food. Healing magic is to a mage like running a marathon is to you."

"And my husband is willing to pay any price for family and friends." Belle added.

"Mommy we wanna go live in the REAL Disneyland!" Bobby cried.

Peri smiled. "I've been thinking about that a lot and...I think I'd like to go there too. Maybe I can finally open my floral and gift shop. We've been saving enough for it."

Belle and Rumple looked at each other. Her father would be put out having a rival florist in town, especially one who sold more than just flowers. Still, the family needed a fresh start and Storybrooke was a peaceful place for the most part.

"Yay! We're gonna move to the real Disneyland!" the children sang as they hugged each other and jumped up and down.

"I can help you locate the perfect building for your shop and house," Rumple said.

 

"Oh, you don't have to. We can call a real estate broker there and....what's so funny?" Peri inquired when she saw the other couple chuckling.

 

"Rumple owns nearly all of houses and buildings in town, Peri." Belle said. "So you'd have to call him anyway."

"Oh.." She laughed herself. "It'll take us a bit of time to get moved...." She noticed the sorcerer smirking again. "You make this too easy, do you know that?"

"Dearie, when I make up my mind about something, it happens with as little complication as possible and I don't always need magic to do it. Just the brain I was born with."

"I do appreciate all this... "

"It's no trouble at all. We just feel living in Storybrooke will be easier for you and the wee ones."

After the doctors examined Peri, they started the process to release her though they were scratching their heads wondering how she recovered so quickly. The young mother simply smiled and held up a set of rosary beads she kept with her at all times.

She firmly believed that God sent the Golds to them.

Regina, Robin and the kids were having a wonderful time at the park. Killian wanted to see Captain Hook and Peter Pan first and they were just as enthused to see the little pirate again. "We gots a new sister!" He bragged and showed them pictures from Henry's phone. "See?"

"She's adorable," Wendy said softly.

"I guess that means you'll be leaving soon eh matey?" Jonathan asked him.

"Uh-huh but we're gonna come back I hope cause I really like it."

Jonathan ruffled his hair. "Well you come and if and us when you come back."

"I will!"

They went to the Under The Sea exhibit next so that the others could meet Ariel. Melody loved seeing the pictures of Aria and meeting Roland who was a bit shy with her at first as he was with Jonathan and Wendy but he was having a wonderful time.

They visited Andrea and Rayna next and the boys posed for pictures with them after they showed them pictures of Aria. They did ask where little Rumple and Regina were, Regina saying that they went home a bit early.

When they approached the toy shop Killian backed away in fear. It was sealed off with tape, the park officials making it appear the shop was under construction. The police were still removing items from it and among the items recovered was a set of journals written in Russian dating back to the time when Rasputin joined the Romanov household.

There were also items that belonged to the dark sorcerer's victims.

More grizzly discoveries were made in the man's house. Human remains, more personal items from the victims and even more disturbing...the two missing children in cages severely malnourished.

Both children were taken to the hospital, Nick dreading what the results of their physical examinations would be. If either child had been sexually abused, he was glad Rasputin was dead; otherwise the man would be missing a few body parts before he was put to death.

The department was going through their cold cases to see if any of the remains found could be linked to them.

By the time they got back to the hotel, Regina already had her mind made up that she wanted to have her wedding at Disney if it was possible and this time she was looking forward to it. Her mother wouldn’t be around to interfere and she was very much in love with her groom. 

She called the park offices and spoke with someone about what kinds of wedding packages they offered and the couple chose to have their wedding at Cinderella’s castle in August. Rumple was going to make Regina’s gown himself and she did not want to wear white since it would be her second wedding. Emma would serve as matron of honor and Rumple would give her away. There was no other man she wanted to do so. Roland was looking forward to his duty as ring bearer and Killian kept offering him tips while they talked about the wedding.

“You gotta make sure ya keep the rings in your pocket, stand up straight an smile.”

Henry laughed. “He knows all that, bro.” 

“Never hurts to be reminded, right Grandpa?”

“No, it doesn’t lad.”

Everyone was having dinner together in the hotel that evening. The Carlyles announced their plans to move to Storybrooke. Killian and Roland were excited to have new playmates and Regina felt Nick would be an asset to Emma at the sheriff’s office and even be willing to act as sheriff while the young mother took a leave of absence to be with her family. She did not have much time to rest since she first arrived in town and was overdue for one. It would take the family a few weeks to get everything settled but the Golds still had the tickets given to them by the park officials for Rumple’s star performance in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice that allowed them to tour Universal Studios as well. They decided to make Universal their final stop on their trip. 

Emma was glad to be out of the hospital as was Aria, who was a very quiet baby much to her parents’ surprise. They knew she wouldn’t be so quiet when it was time to be fed or changed. The parents had plenty of support from the experienced parents in the group who were offering them tips on what to do in almost every situation.

“You need to take some time off to be with your family, Emma. So when the Carlyles get settled in Storybrooke, Nick is going to be acting sheriff in your absence,” Regina said. 

“Regina….” 

“No buts, Sheriff, you need the rest.” 

Aria grabbed her mother’s finger and squeezed it as if to say: She’s right Mommy. You need to stay home with me.

Emma gazed down at her daughter, smiling softly. “All right baby girl…Mommy’s going to stay home with you a bit.” 

The baby smiled. 

Bae seconded that decision, since he would be working with Archie to finish up his internship and get his degree as child therapist and abuse counselor for teens and children. He knew that despite its sleepy reputation, there were families in Storybrooke who had problems due to the curse and also from before it that needed to be addressed. But at the same time he wished to spend as much time as he could at home with his little girl, and catch up on all the things he'd missed with Henry and Killian.

"So....Killian....can we play in your clubhouse now?" Annie asked the toddler.

"Uh-huh. Since Rumple, Belle n'Regina can't be little anymore you're gonna be the new Nevengers and we can go on ventures just like before."

"Cool do you have special cars an everything?" Bobby inquired.

"Yep The Justice Mobiles. Ya know how to drive a Power Wheels?"

"Ya know how to go potty?" Bobby countered with a smirk, reminding Killian of little Rumple and Annie was a mix of Regina and Belle.

"Yeah I know how to potty an I don't wear Pull Ups either!"

"You better be wearing underwear cause its gross if ya don't."

"Yeah I'm wearing em..you wanna see?" the little pirate challenged. 

"NO!" his parents yelled.

Bae gave his father a "why me?" look, and said, "I swear, Papa, he's gonna make me drop dead of embarrassment before he's out of kindergarten!"

"Well he does have the Stiltskin attitude," Belle reminded them.

"God help us all," Emma muttered.

They all had a wonderful evening and the following afternoon Nick went to the airport to meet up with the Dearlys and Inspector Hardy while the others went to the park to wait for them.

Rumple and Regina were also asked to help with some of the evidence taken from the houses and toy shop. The department was having a difficult time sorting out the older evidence. Some of it didn't match any cases they had on file and they did send notices to nearby departments with no success. They would go back to the station with Nick and Hardy after he dropped the Dearlys off at Lake Eola. 

Selene was on edge most of the morning, terrified something would go wrong during the reunion. Archie kept reassuring her everything would be fine.

It had been a long flight but Roger and Anita managed to find some time to sleep. Dipstick and Jewel however were irritable after being kept separate from their humans. The trio reclaimed their baggage and began their search for Detective Carlyle.

Nick was waiting for them beside the airport exit, he had sent a picture of himself to Hardy on his phone, but also had a sign with their names on it just in case.

"Ah, there we are. Right this way!" Hardy instructed his companions.

Nick held out a hand to greet the newcomers. "Hello, and welcome to Orlando. I'm Detective Nick Carlyle."

"Inspector Alex Hardy." Alex shook his hand first. 

"We are," Roger shook his hand next followed by Anita. "And this is Dipstick and Jewel."

The two Dalmatians barked a greeting at the detective.

Nick knelt and held out his hand for the dogs to smell. "Hey there! Aren't you a pair of beauties?"

"Woof!" Jewel barked and sniffed his hand. She could smell another Dalmatian's scent on him and eyed him quizzically.

"Yes, that's Perdy you're smelling on me, lass. I was petting her before I came over here. That's Selene's dog."

Her parents looked at each other. "She has a dog named Perdy? A Dalmatian?" Anita inquired softly.

"Yes, ma'am. And so does Dr. Hopper, only he has a male Dalmatian named Pongo." Nick stroked Jewel's head.

"Just like us...." Roger murmured.

Nick looked up from petting the two dogs, saying, "You'll see that Selene looks very like you, Mrs. Dearly."

"Cruella...was she....cruel to her...?"

"Uh . . . well . . .she did continually malign her choice of men and say things about her appearance . . .but really you should ask her those questions because only Selene knows the answers fully," Nick said awkwardly. "One thing I do know--that woman is not a fit mother to a-a viper."

"I want to throttle her!" Anita growled.

"I can't say I blame you," Nick said feelingly. "You do know she kidnapped my kids too, right?"

"What? That miserable excuse for a life..." Roger ranted. "Oh that song I wrote for her should have contained a few more choice words!"

"It was rejected for the words you did have in it," his wife reminded him. "Now let's go see our daughter and her beau."

"Yes, they are very eager to meet you all," Nick said and led the way from the airport terminal.

"Any progress on your case Nick?" Hardy was asking.

"Some, but not much. We have several remains we're unable to identify," he frowned. "That Putin was a sick SOB!"

"And his accomplice was no better. Her butchery is the stuff of nightmares in England."

"Yes, or so I've heard. Both of them belong in hell."

Anita was smiling. "I shouldn't be surprised our daughter wants to meet us in a park....it was where we first met," she said to her husband.

"How far is it to this place?" Roger asked.

"Oh not far at all. Maybe twenty minutes," Nick said as he put the last of the bags in the trunk and climbed into the driver's seat.

For the Dearlys it would be the longest twenty minutes of their lives.

Nick drove calmly through the traffic that usually clogged Orlando's streets at this time, and parked in the special parking spot they had reserved for him.

The couple stepped out of the car and hooked the dogs up to their leads, holding hands as they followed the detective into the park.

Nick walked them quickly to where Selene and Archie awaited them, along with Pongo and Perdy.

They were standing under the Chinese Pagoda, Selene trembling nervously. The Dalmatians picked up the scent of two more of their species in the area and started barking.

"Pongo...calm down!" Archie scolded his pet.

"Perdy....what....?"

The Dalmatians started pulling their humans out of the pagoda.

"Roger, there they are!" Anita exclaimed, spotting the younger couple being pulled along by two excited Dalmatians.

"Mum....Dad!" Selene sobbed. Archie took Perdy's leash. The young woman ran into her mother's outstretched arms.

There was no room for doubt in Anita Dearly's mind as she saw a younger version of herself gazing back at her, even wearing glasses as Selene did as a child due to eyesight problems. "My little girl...." Anita wept.

Roger fought back his own tears as he pulled his wife and daughter into his embrace. "We were so afraid this day would never come..." he sobbed.

"I'm sorry I didn't remember you...." Selene croaked.

"It's all right sweetheart.....oh look at you....look at her Roger! Our beautiful little girl all grown up!"

"All these years...they kept telling us you were gone but we didn't want to believe it...." Anita was saying.

"We never gave up hope poppet...never..." her father affirmed.

Nick watched the joyous reunion and smiled. This was what he always hoped when a missing persons case was solved . . .that the family was reunited with the one they had loved once more.

Killian tugged on his grandfather's hand. "Lookit Grandpa...they have dogs like Selene an Archie!"

"I see, son. And why wouldn't they, since they're the original owners of 101 Dalmatians," Rumple reminded him.

"You think they'll come live in Storybrooke too?"

"Well, that's up to them, but I'd hope so," Rumple replied. "I think they would fit in quite nicely, don't you?"

"Uh huh!"

Pongo and Perdy were sniffing noses and wagging their tails at Jewel and Dipstick. The dogs seemed as happy to meet each other as their human counterparts.

You have the same names the first dogs our humans had did, Jewel said to Perdy.

That's because my mistress said she named me after a dog she had as a small child, Perdy answered.

We're from a litter of one of their descendants, Dipstick said.

And we live on a big farm with a lot of other dogs...and horses and even an annoying cat.

That sounds like fun, Pongo said. It's just been me and my master, Archie, for years.

Not anymore. We're making honest men of you, Perdy declared. She glowered at her mate. After all I AM having your pups, mutt and you won't be leaving me to care for them myself.

I wouldn't do that!

Roger led his wife and daughter over to a bench to sit down while they continued to talk.

"Oh God...Dad....I haven't introduced you to Archie!" Selene cried.

Anita laughed softly. "He seems nice...and handsome too."

"You know Mum....we met sort of like how you and Dad did...crashed right into each other only it wasn't Perdy dragging me along. It was a little girl dragging Archie along. Love at first sight this time instead of love at first swat..."

"Do you love him, poppet?"

"It might sound mad....because we've only been dating a short time but yes....I believe I do..."

Archie kept his distance for a bit to allow Selene time alone with her parents but when she motioned for him to join them hearing her tell her parents she loved him stunned him into silence.

"You....you love me?" he gasped.

Roger gave the therapist his protective parent Look. "So...ahh....what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

The others started laughing.

"Why do I get the feeling when Aria gets older that'll be you asking Bae...with a shotgun in your hand?" Emma asked her husband.

"Because you know I will . . .and that's nothing compared to what Papa will be threatening to do--turn him into a garden gnome!" he husband laughed.

Belle groaned. "Maybe I would be better off having a boy."

Archie felt like he was facing the firing squad. "Well...ahh...Mr. Dearly....I do love Selene....and....if she'll have me…"

"Roger don't badger the poor man. You have to forgive my husband, Archie. He's been practicing for this for years....giving our daughter's boyfriends a rough time.” 

"Mum, he's mild compared to Cruella...blew smoke in Archie's face and kept messing up his name like she used to do with Dad."

"Maybe we should leave them alone for a while and arrange for a taxi back to the hotel?" Belle suggested to the others.

"That's a good idea, dearie," agreed her husband. He tugged Killian's collar gently. "Come along, scamp. Before you hear something you shouldn't."

"Huh? Don't think they'd talk bout doin the nasty around Selene's mom and dad."

Rumple groaned. "That's not what I mean, Killian Gold! Sometimes adults need privacy from little imps hearing everything they say . . .and then repeating it. Now let's go back to the hotel . . .and we can order pizza and I'll read to you from your new Jake and the Neverland Pirates book."

Now both of Selene's parents were giving Archie a Look.

"Selene Anita Dearly are you...shagging!?" her father demanded.

"What?! No!"

Archie groaned. "Thanks a LOT Killian!"

"See what I mean?" Rumple coughed. "Please excuse my grandson. He's a scamp whose mouth runs ahead of his brain. Sometimes he speaks without knowing all the facts. Right, lad?" He gave Killian a Look.

"You used to say some outrageous things too Selene," Roger teased.

"Oh don't remind me Dad!"

"We'll see you back at the hotel," Belle said to Archie. He nodded.

Killian held out his arms to Rumple. "Carry me, please? M'sorry."

Rumple scooped him up. "Ah well. You wouldn't be a Gold, dearie, if you didn't inherit the mouth."

"I'll go with Nick to see if I can help any with those items they found Rumple," Regina offered.

Selene had a wonderful time with her parents and their Dalmatians, descendants of the dogs she played with as a child. Though it was also difficult, Selene also talked about how difficult her life had been with Cruella, the mental abuse she suffered and the guilt she felt over not being able to break through her memory block sooner. She and Archie did not feel her parents were ready to know the truth about everyone just yet but they did plan to tell them eventually. 

Roger and Anita watched their daughter with Archie, realizing that there was little chance Selene would want to go back to England. They were already talking about her getting an apartment and a job in his hometown though the Dearlys doubted Selene would be in the apartment alone for long. Like her parents before her, Selene already made up her mind her relationship with Archibald Hopper was going to be a permanent one. 

And having been apart from their daughter far too long, Roger and Anita made the decision that if she couldn’t return to England, they would move to Storybrooke to be near her and any children the couple would have. It was going to be a major expense relocating all their belongings and their pets to a small Maine town but as long as it brought them closer to their daughter, that was all that mattered. 

It was after midnight when Selene and Archie returned to their hotel after saying goodnight to Selene’s parents and making plans to take them on a tour of the city the following day. 

“I’m almost afraid to go to sleep….what if it’s all a dream?” Selene asked him. 

“It’s no dream,” Archie reassured her and kissed her. 

They crept back into the suite on tiptoes, not wanting to awaken the rest of the group. 

But someone was already awake . . .and sipping a cup of tea while reading a paperback of Agatha Christie with a tiny mage globe hovering over his shoulder. In his lap was a sleeping Killian, hugging his waist.

Rumple put a finger to his lips and grinned slyly. "Shh. The lad had a bad dream and came and woke me instead of his parents cause he figgered Aria had already been at them. So I decided to sit here and help him go back to sleep."

"Right..well...ahhh we'll go to bed now..." Selene whispered.

"Night, dearies," they heard him chuckle softly.

"Does he think we were...?"

Selene was smiling herself. "We are sneaking in late..."

Archie shook his head, kissed her goodnight and returned to his own room.

Regina returned a short time later physically and emotionally drained.

Rumple looked up from his book, one hand tangled in his grandson's hair. "What happened?"  
"Those remains....were children Rumple.....missing for fifty years...from Nevada."

She conjured a glass of apple cider.

"My spell....led them to a house there...and they found more bodies..."

The former queen brushed tears from her eyes.

She dreaded them finding more.

"Ahh . . .gods and hells!" he swore. "I'm sorry, Regina. Maybe I should have gone instead . . ."

"No... it’s all right..."

It was coming up on the third day and Cruella's time was about to run out.

"I'm glad he's dead...now as for her..."

"Her last day is tonight at midnight."

"What do you think will happen?"

"I would like to see the spirits of her victims have their vengeance on her."

Both of them smirked. It would be a truly wonderful sight, one they hated to miss but this was time for them to spend with family. Regina reached out and tousled Killian's hair. "I'm going to miss being a Nevenger but we can give him a new group of friends to have adventures with now. Nick's kids certainly act like us."

"They're going to buy the house on the other side of me. Imagine Blue's surprise when she finds out!"

"They won't put up with her crap, that's for sure. And I'm sure Aria will put the fear of Gold into that witch when she gets older."

"I suspect we'll also have plenty of canine companions for the children in the town too."

"Selene's parents?"

Rumple nodded. "They fit in more in our town. After all, they are the original 101 Dalmatians couple. I don't think Archie and Selene have told them everything yet but they will."

Regina yawned. "I'm going to curl up next to my outlaw and try to sleep but I have a feeling it won't be easy after everything I saw tonight. See you in the morning Rumple."

Rumple knew Belle would miss him in their bed but he didn't have the heart to move Killian. The toddler was sleeping peacefully now. He read two more chapters from his book before he fell asleep. Belle came out an hour later and covered them with a blanket.

"...De Vil! You have a visitor!"

Cruella glared at the guard. "Must you yell so loud, you cow?"

"Better watch that mouth or you'll be spending some time in the hole!"

How she wished she could change to lion form and tear that cow to shreds and feast but alas, that bitch who called herself the Evil Queen had her pelts and her magic was bound. It was also the third day and soon the spirits would come to pass their judgment and carry out the execution.

Defeated by a silly cartoon song, she thought bitterly.

Oh the gods were having quite the laugh at her expense.

Roger and Anita waited for them to bring Cruella to them, Anita's hands clenched into fists. Oh, how she wanted to strangle that woman fro the years of misery she brought them when she took their daughter away. They could hear chains rattling and Cruella was brought into the room in an orange jumpsuit, now every wrinkle, every gray hair showing without a soul to reverse the aging process.

"Anita...darling," she cooed in that old familiar way that chilled the blood. "And Rufus...."

"Roger!" Roger growled.

"You might want to get yourself a facial dear....I can recommend an expert here," Cruella taunted her former employee.

"Oh we all know who your beauty experts were...souls of the innocent!" Anita hissed. "I had quite an interesting conversation with Detective Carlyle on the way here. You cursed my daughter into forgetting her past and had she not met that wonderful man's she with now or his friends you'd still be terrorizing her and countless others! Now you've lost everything that matters to you...tell me Cruella...how does it feel?"  
"Shut up!"

Anita raised her hand and slapped the other woman across the face. "That is mild compared to what I'd like to do to you for taking our child away from us. But before you die, know this: she's going to be just fine. She'll marry her doctor, have children and even some puppies from their Dalmatians and you'll be nothing but a bad dream that goes away in time." Anita stood up. "No...you'll just be part of a song..."

Roger was smirking. "Mine was a lot less flattering to you, bitch."

"The biggest mistake Anita ever made was marrying you!"

"No, it was one of my best choices. The other was letting Roger throw you out when you tried to buy Pongo and Perdy's puppies. Goodbye and good riddance Cruella!"

The former skinwalker glared at them as they walked away.

While Cruella was counting away the hours until her death, the others were having the time of their lives at Disney World and Universal. Rumple, Emma, Henry and Regina were having the most fun at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and everyone was excited to take a trip on Hogwart's Express. Henry joked that they should build their own theme park in Storybrooke with Rumple and Regina's castles as the centerpieces.

Every time they came out of one of the shops, the others teased them, asking if they left anything for the guests. They all wanted to have their own Harry Potter gear though the wands wouldn't work unless they used a little magic of their own to make them do so. 

When they ventured down Knocklurn Alley Killian took one look at a shop window and hid behind Emma. "Gross...Mom...there's bones in there!"  
The Dearlys suggested they have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron so that they could experience British cuisine firsthand.

"I'm having some Butterbeer!" Henry declared.

"If it has alcohol in it you're not!" Regina said firmly.

"It doesn't," Anita assured them. "It's like cream soda with a root beer float topping. It's very good. And you get a souvenir mug with it."

Killian was looking at the menu dubiously. "Grandpa, do they gots mac n' cheese here? I don't know what half this stuff is." He could read quite well now thanks to Rumple and Belle's tutoring.

Rumple quickly scanned the menu, and said, "No, but here's something I think you'll like. Shepherd's pie. From an old Scottish recipe."

His grandson looked up at him. "Kay, I'll get that. But I bet it ain't as good as yours." Rumple made amazing shepherd's pie with Angus beefsteak, merlot wine sauce, and pearl onions, peas and carrots and his special mashed potatoes on top.

"Umm . . we'll see," the pawnbroker said. He just prayed it tasted good enough so the toddler would eat it and not make some withering comment.

Archie and Selene ordered plates of fish and chips that they shared.

Opting to be safe, Belle ordered the cock-a-leekie soup which was chicken soup with leeks in it, hence the name, and some fresh bread with butter.

Rumple ordered the Guinness stew and some honey-wheat bread with butter.

Bae and Emma had the roast beef platter with Yorkshire pudding and root vegetables.

Little Aria eyed the food with interest, making several attempts to try reach her mother's plate and grab it.

"No, sweetie," Emma tickled her daughter under the chin. "You can't eat this yet."

She started to wail in protest.

"Hey, Aria, don't cry," Killian said, making a silly face at her. "You just gotta wait and eat the good stuff. Like Grandpa's mac n' cheese and hot dogs!"  
She burbled at him.  
Archie chuckled. "At least this time his comedy isn't getting someone in trouble!"

"For a change," Bae said, and ate some more Yorkshire pudding.  
"Once we move to Storybrooke, you're all going to learn how to eat real food," Roger said to the rest of the group.  
"Oh we do..my husband won't settle for junk," Belle said with a grin.

"Yeah Grandpa cooks better than those chef on Food Network!" Killian bragged. "He don't make things that taste like cardboard."

"Neither did Nanny, right Mum?" Selene asked. Anita smiled wistfully.

"Nanny certainly improved your father's diet."

"I was a bachelor!" Roger protested.

Bae chuckled. "I can sympathize with that. I lived off of fast food before I met Emma." Or whatever he could steal.

"I ate at Granny's a lot," Archie confessed.

"Not anymore. Thank goodness I learned how to cook or I would've spent the rest of my life paying out the arse at restaurants," Selene said.

"You got that right, dearie. And you never know what they're putting in your food," Rumple said. "The last time I ordered Chinese food out I was eating my curried chicken when I found a cigarette butt in it! I almost couldn't eat anything for a whole day . . .and I threatened to have the place closed down by the Board of Health and sued them for every penny they had!"

"Gross!" Bobby cried.

"He nearly used an entire bottle of Listerine and all the toothpaste," Belle recalled. "And that was the last time we ordered Chinese out."

Henry looked like he was ready to vomit.

"Hope they fired the cook. I'da made him walk the plank," Killian stated. He began playing with his food, making faces with the peas on his mashed potatoes.

Bae looked over at him. "Ahem! This isn't art class, Killian."

"Aww! But I like this face!"

His father frowned. "And kids who play with their food and don't eat don't get dessert."

The child squirmed in his chair. "You're no fun, Dad!" he muttered rebelliously.

Rumple shook his head. "Lad, don't go there," he warned.

Bae Looked at his son.

Killian sniffled. "But it ain't as good as Grandpa's."

Bae sighed. "No restaurant food is, buddy. Just eat four bites and you're done."

Killian ate his four bites with great reluctance then set his fork back down. "Next time we gotta find a place where Grandpa can cook."

"Remember how picky we could be when we were kids, Rumple?" Regina teased.

“Yes, and you nearly drove Granny insane sending your apple pie back.”

“Well I didn’t like it. Sue me.” 

Belle giggled. "The Nevenger Adventures...I do miss those days."

Henry smirked. "I have plenty of video and photo evidence to remind you of how you were."

"My favorites were the food fights!" Killian bragged.  
"Oh we're still doing them. It's tradition now."  
"I suppose I'd better learn how to duck," Selene giggled.

"Nah. We'll still get ya," Henry promised.

"I think I'd like to see that you being children...now that we now you can do it," Roger grinned.

"Boy we have a lot to live up to...don't we Annie," Bobby sighed.

"Yeah but we can do it."

They spent the rest of the afternoon touring all the theme parks at Universal and going on what rides they could and fortunately Henry didn't get sick this time. Everyone was invited back to the Golds’ suite to enjoy the Nevenger Adventures album once again.

As it grew closer to midnight Cruella began to think she could avoid the skinwalker's death sentence after all. She lay down on her bunk and opened a book given to her by another inmate. She was going to spend the rest of her life in prison if she went back to England but she'd escaped before and would do it again. She just had to be patient.  
A cold whirlwind blew in and shredded the pages of her book, scraps flying all around the cell. In the air she could hear thousands of voices laughing and screaming.

"Suffer as we suffer....feel what we feel!" they hissed.

Ghostly apparitions appeared before her--all the faces of those she had murdered . . .especially the children. "Hug me!" whined one lost girl. "Give me your warmth, Cruella! I'm so cooold!" Her arms reached out to wrap around the skinwalker.  
"Nooo.....leave me alone!"

The ghost's hands grazed her, bringing with it the unearthly chill of the grave, and the child's eyes lit from within with a terrible greenish light. "Hold me!" it wailed, and then clung, and began to feed off of her psychic energy.  
"Stooopppp...." she screamed, hoping the noise would alert the guards but they and everyone else on her cellblock seemed to be oblivious to what was going on.

Now more spirits hovered, all with devilish grins upon their faces.

"What you do comes back to thee threefold!" scolded one, an old woman.

"As you reap, now you sow" cried the ghost of the former police detective. "You took me away from my family--now know the pain I have felt!" He grabbed her arm and sent her all the pain and loss of a life ripped away untimely.  
Cruella felt as she were the one being torn to pieces as she'd torn that detective to pieces that night.

"Cruella deVil Cruella deVil!" chanted the child like ghosts. "Now she can't scare you though her evil deeds will!"

They giggled insanely and swooped upon her, screeching, "Skinwalker! Skinwalker! Every dog must have it's day! Skinwalker! Skinwalker! Come out and play!"  
She ran to the door of her cell and grabbed the bars, holding on for dear life. "SOMEONE GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The ghostly children flowed after her, plucking at her and taunting, "Hell awaits thee, Cruella! Mercy we have none nor seek, bring the evil, bring the weak, your number's up, now you shall pay, for your crimes shall rue this day!"

"No! Please! Mercy!" she begged, petrified.

"Mercy we have none!" chanted a wispy woman, one of the first she had killed. "Now you cry, when you had none when 'twas our turn to die? You repent not, thou wicked hag! And vengeance shall drink deep today!"

Suddenly the spectral forms of all the animals she had killed now appeared in the cell, glowing with greenish foxfire--dogs, cats, lions, tigers, leopards . . .and they filled the air with their dreadful keening howls.

She tried to hide under her bunk but one of the lions latched onto her foot with its teeth and dragged her out.

"Nyah Nyah Nyah!" the children howled. "We found you!"

Then they latched on her and began to feed, draining away her life force.

They feasted until the clock struck midnight then faded away leaving a rotting corpse in the cell.

And so ended the life of Cruella the Butcher, proving once again that crime doesn't pay and all magic comes with a price.


	10. New Kids In Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of Magical Kingdom Mishap is here dearies. The crew returns to Storybrooke with the Dearlys and the Carlyles in tow and they adjust to life in a new place. Rumple and Archie plan to right an old wrong but Blue puts a dent in their plans by robbing Rumple's shop while Killian and his new team of Nevengers make foiling her evil plans their first adventure!

10  
~ New Kids In Town ~

A few weeks later everyone was on their way back to Storybrooke. Regina called ahead to let everyone know there were going to be some new additions to the town’s population and she ordered they be treated with respect or face her wrath. No one wanted to face the wrath of the former Evil Queen or Rumple since she gave them a warning from him as well that anyone caught mistreating the new arrivals would join the snail population. The townspeople were curious about the new arrivals, one being a family and the others were the real Dearly family from 101 Dalmatians, soon to be Archie’s in-laws since he proposed to Selene while they were still in Florida. 

Sapphira was less than pleased when she found out she was getting another set of neighbors, these ones two children and their parents from another state…outsiders! It was appalling to her. She wondered what would roll into town next…bicycle gangs? The mayor was an idiot and so was that demon Rumplestiltskin for allowing outsiders to invade their domain. 

Melanie knew there was little hope her daughter would be able to make friends with the new neighbors if they were already told of her misdeeds. She preached to Sapphira about the damage a person’s misdeeds can cause to a reputation but the girl closed her mind and her ears to her mother’s words of wisdom. She would follow her own path and damn anyone who got in her way. 

Rumple had the library apartment remodeled for Selene to live in until she and Archie got married. His wedding gift to the couple would be having Archie’s apartment redone and gave the Dearlys an excellent price on a farmhouse where they could continue to raise their Dalmatians. His wedding gift for Robin and Regina was an all expenses paid honeymoon cruise and offering to watch Roland while the couple was gone. Roland loved the idea of staying behind with Killian, Aria and the Carlyles so that they could start having their own adventures as the new Nevengers. 

Emma was enjoying the idea of having a more experienced law enforcement official working with her and taking charge while she spent precious time with her family. She once joked to her mother that being the Savior meant she didn’t get a day off. Now she had months of it and she would enjoy every minute. Also the people in town would have a much more difficult time trying to get away with anything around Nick Carlyle. The man was as sharp as a tack. 

Bae was also adjusting to being Archie's new assistant counselor as his credentials and license had finally been approved by the state and he was now a full-fledged child counselor specializing in abused children. It made for a long work day but at the end of it he knew Emma was waiting at home with his kids and he was content with his family . . .even if they did occasionally make him tear his hair out.

Archie said Bae would soon be as highly regarded as he was, since the young man had a knack for getting kids to actually talk to him, especially those who were normally reticent and belligerent. Bae said it came from his years on Neverland and also growing up with Rumple . . who was also quiet and reticent about things that bothered him.  
'If you feel comfortable with it Bae, I'd like to have some of my adult patients have a session or two with you while I'm on my honeymoon so that you have experience with them too."

Archie knew from his own experience that adults could be as traumatized by abuse as children.

"I can. I just need to see the case files of the ones you'd like me to have sessions with," his junior partner replied.

"I'll have them ready for you before we leave so you have time to review them. They're women mostly. And....to start...I am going to be your first patient."

Bae blinked. "You are?"

The therapist nodded. "I know haven't told you much about my childhood...I don't like to talk about it...but I think it's time I did."

Bae nodded. "Well then, Archie, make yourself comfortable . . ." he gestured to the gray plush divan and nudged the office door shut with his foot. Their secretary would know not to disturb them then.

Archie took a deep breath. "My parents rarely struck me....words were their weapons of choice..." he began.

Bae nodded. "And sometimes words hurt more than a smack. My mama did the same to me and my papa . . .especially him." He relaxed in his chair.

"They were con artists...taught me the tricks of the trade and when I couldn't deliver the goods....I was useless to them."

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, fighting back tears. "I hated them. I hated them so much I was willing to do anything to get them the hell out of my life!"

"What did they make you do?" Bae asked, knowing that besides the mental abuse there had to be something tangible as well.

"Pick pockets...pretend I had every exotic illness you can imagine if they were trying to sell one of their cure alls…just about every con game you can imagine they played.”

"And if you objected, what did they do?" he queried. "Was there one particular incident that stands out in your mind?"

He nodded. "I was twelve...we were at some festival...not quite sure what it was and I was making my rounds while my parents held their puppet show to distract everyone. I cut a hole in my pocket so half of what I took fell out. My father was furious....and he locked me in the wagon overnight...."

He could still hear himself screaming to be left out.

"Did they berate you for not being a good son?" Bae asked shrewdly. "For not being like them and enjoying the game?”

"Constantly. When I was younger they made it sound like we were helping people. Helping people!" He laughed harshly.

"So they conned you too." Bae said sympathetically.

"I was still living with them in my twenties because my father always told me that if I tried to run off they would turn me in...turn ME in when they were doing the worst of it!"

"Blackmail and coercion . . .did you ever wish you could get rid of them? Even though you knew they were your parents whom you were supposed to respect and love?" Bae knew that belief was a common one in their land as well as in this one. "And did those thoughts ever make you feel guilty?"

"Yes...and then when I did try to do something....it backfired on me and Geppetto's family was destroyed in the process!"

"Hmm . . .and that led you to becoming a cricket. Did you ever ask Blue why she couldn't change them back? Or ask my papa to do so?"

"I thought there was nothing that could be done. Blue told me there wasn't and...I was afraid of your father and what he would ask of me if I made another deal."

"So you let your guilt drive you into making a worse one with the fairy," Bae conjectured. "Let me ask you something else. Did Geppetto ever forgive you for doing what you did?"

"Yes."

"But you never forgave yourself. I think that's a big part of your problem," his partner said. "You haven't let the guilt and anger and shame go. You've carried it like a millstone about your neck for years."

"It's not easy..."

"No . . .I know that. I've carried my own guilt, for being the cause of my papa taking the Dark One curse. But perhaps you can start by doing something you didn't before . . .ask Papa about removing the curse over Geppetto's parents."

"Now? After all this time? How would it....? They won't know him!"

"A parent always know his child," Bae laughed. "My papa did. And they will too."

"I....I can try...."

"Do it . . and Papa will tell you if he can free them without lasting harm . . .and then without that reminder perhaps you can start letting the guilt die," he encouraged.

"I'm too nervous to go over there alone. I mean...I know Rumple is different now but what if he can't...?”

"I'll go with you," Bae soothed. "And if he can't he'll tell you why and we'll go from there. But if he can, so much the better for everyone," Bae said.

"You know....Selene said the same thing...." Archie smiled. "Well Bae, that is how you handle an adult case...you gave me a solution I was too afraid to think of myself."

He called Selene. She was over at the library with Belle helping her categorize and shelve some new books she'd ordered and they had to send back a few suggested titles by the book company that were explicit in nature.

"If I get one more copy of 50 Shades of Gray I am going to order more and have myself a good book burning," raged Belle.

"Or the sequels. 50 Shades Darker and 50 Shades Freed," Selene added.

Belle cringed. "How does anyone find what those people do sexy? It's disgusting!”

"Who knows? And if they want to read it, let them order copies online and have it shipped directly to their house. I wouldn't put these anywhere kids and teenagers could read them."

"Good....now what was that man of yours telling you that has you smiling?”

As soon as Selene had gotten the call Belle went to shelve some of the books so that the two could talk privately.

She wasn't the type to listen in on someone's intimate conversations though she was curious.

"Well, Archie had a long talk with Bae about his guilt over what happened with Geppetto and his parents. And Bae said to go and ask Rumple to change them back . .. "

"That's a wonderful idea! I know Rumple will be more than happy to help."

And she had every confidence that her husband could change them back unlike a certain sanctimonious former fairy.

"Good because Archie has been living with this so long...and I don't want him beating himself up over it anymore."

"Nor does he need to. I'm still working on Rumple with his issues. The important thing is to never give up on him...be there for him. It means so much."

"He says he rarely talks about his past with anyone."

"You're not just anyone honey. You're his true love, soon to be his wife. Rumple tells me things he hasn't even told Bae because he feels comfortable enough to.”

"I told him to call me and let me know how it goes. He's taking Bae with him."

"Good for him."

"Belle, where is your craft section? I'm trying to come up with new ideas for my shop," Peri Carlyle asked as she approached the circulation desk.

Moe French was furious that there was now another floral and gift shop open for business right across from Game of Thorns and its owner was an outsider who seemed to be doing well.

She even sold some woven items Rumple made and Elsa's ice sculptures.

Moe called the Gold house several times leaving nasty messages for his son-in-law, accusing him of trying to put him out of business.

"I'll help you find it, Peri," Selene offered.

Over at one of the tables, a certain former fairy was not pleased with this sudden turn of events. How dare the Dark One try to cheat her out of seeing the everlasting punishment she'd placed on that former cricket or try to undo his own evil!

It would happen over her dead body!

No, they both deserved to pay for what they'd done and pay they would....

An idea formed in her mind.

She owed that upstart Rumple for the many times he'd humiliated her in her new form. No one would call her the Blue Butthole again when she was finished!

Getting the dolls out of Gold's shop required a bit of magic but there was plenty at the convent she had access to since Nova that foolish tart that had taken her place wasn't even smart enough to secure a doorknob.

The Cloak of Shadows was what she needed. It was a cloak that made the wearer invisible for a short period of time, meant to be used only in dire need.

And the Box of Nothing would serve as a receptacle for the dolls once she retrieved them--she refused to think of it as stealing from that imp in human clothing--and hide them from all prying eyes even magical ones.

She closed the book she was reading and threw it at the circulation desk, knocking over a copy of Rumple and Belle's wedding photo, spiderweb like cracks forming in the glass of the frame.

Soon the imp like the glass would be broken. She would always be there to remind him he was evil to the core and belonged in Hell.

Him, his whore of a wife, and his demonspawn offspring.

While Sapphira was putting her plan for revenge into action, Bae and Archie drove over to the Victorian to speak to Rumple. He was babysitting Aria, Killian, Bobby and Annie for their parents.

Emma was at the station with Nick getting him settled in before she went on leave.

The little kids were playing outside in the famed Nevengers clubhouse while Rumple was playing with Aria on the thick quilt, using a hand puppet with five little pigs to sing "This Little Piggy Went To Market" to his grandaughter and play with her tiny feet, tickling her.

"Too bad we don't have a venture to go in yet," Killian grumbled.

"Where can we find one?" Annie asked, examining the quilts on the beds.

"We gotta look for it I guess."

"Dad always says you don't need to go lookin' for trouble, it finds you," Bobby recited.

"Yeah an we found plenty. Word of advice. Don’t touch anything in Grandpa's shop specially the bottles. There's nasty genies hidin in em."

"There are? Like mean ones?" Annie cried. "Like Jafar?"

"Yeah and this one was called Desdemonia but she was a crab infested ho."

"Gross!" Bobby made a face. "What'd she do?"

"Wrecked Grandpa's shop, made me not talk an tried to hit on Grampa an give him her crabs."

"Eew! Nasty! Hope you stuffed her back in the bottle," Annie said.

"Yup!" He frowned. "I hadta get a spanking though."

"From your dad?" Bobby guessed.

"Nah. Grandpa since I didn't do as I was told an not touch."

Annie winced. "I bet you were sorry then, huh? I always am when Daddy spanks us."

"Yeah, but he don't do it much," Bobby said.

"Yeah cause that mean crab lady woulda made him havta do bad stuff to keep me safe."

"Mr. Gold is a cool grandpa. We never knew ours. My mom's daddy died before I was born and Grandpa Joe died when I was two," Annie recited.

"That really sucks. I had grandparents before but I never knew em. S'why I like this time as a kid better."

 

Bobby nodded. "You mean you didn't like when you was a pirate? Didja make anyone walk the plank n' stuff?"

"Was your real parents pirates?" Annie wanted to know.

"Yeah did all that stuff and my first dad was a mean ole pirate."

"Was your mom too?"

"No but she wasn't really happy..."

"So you don't miss it? Your old life?" queried Bobby curiously.

"Never I was a mean ole jerk who almost roasted in Lucifie's stew pot with Pukin and the hag."

"Then it's better you're little again," Annie stated firmly.

"Yep cause now I can learn to be good an have a better family."

He glared at the house next door. "You met the blue fart yet?"

"No. What's she like?" asked Annie warily. "She seems stuck up. Gave me a nasty look when we was moving in."

"She's a mean ex fairy. Hates everybody but useta put on an act like she was holier n thou.. Ya know?"

The two Carlyles nodded. "Like this girl in my class at school. Acted all nice round the teacher but when Miss Prentice wasn't looking she pushed people and called them names and everything," Annie said. "But then I got mad when she pushed my best friend and hurt her, so I punched her one and asked how she liked it."

"Yeah we kicked Blue's butt a few times. She still tries to pull her crap...can't learn to be nice."

"Dad says some people can't learn . . cause they don't wanna. That's the ones you gotta put away for good . . cause if ya don't they just keep hurting people." Bobby told him.

"Or ya send em to Hell for Lucifie to eat."

"Yeah. Wonder if bad kids go there?" Annie mused.

"Ummm...I dunno...maybe," Killian shrugged.

"Annie, what's it matter? None of us is gonna know till we die," Bobby said philosophically. "So don't worry about it. That's God's job." He went and got a juice box from the fridge and said, "Let's play Candy Land."

"Cool. Did I ever tell ya bout the time me an Grandpa got caught playing Grand Theft Auto?"

Bobby's jaw dropped. "You played THAT? Dad says that game's really bad and it oughta be banned!"

"Only he wouldn't tell us how bad. He said we didn't need to know," Annie sighed.

"It is bad...had naked people doing the nasty...swearin, shootin an stealing stuff. Dad was reaallly mad."

The Carlyle kids' eyes bugged out. "Umm didja get spanked for playin' it? How'd you get it anyway?"

"Henry got it from a kid at school. And Dad put us in the corner an we had to stay in the house."

"What did you do with the game?" Bobby wanted to know.

"Dad threw it away."

The two looked relieved. Then they heard a car pull up. "Let's see who's here," Killian said and ran out the door to the side of the fence.

Archie was trying to maintain his composure, hoping Rumple wouldn't be angry with him for bringing up a part of their past that should be buried.

"Bae..maybe we should...forget the whole thing...."

"You're not getting cold feet now, are you?" Bae said. "C'mon. He won't turn you into a snail." He waved at the kids watching by the fence. "Hey, rugrats!"

"Hey Dad! Hey Archie, wassup?" asked Killian.

"The sky," Bae smirked. "You behaving for your grandpa, imp?"

"Yep. Business is slow so we're playing Candy Land.”

"Candy Land used to be your favorite game when you played with Regina, Belle, and Papa," Bae recalled. "Have fun. We gotta go and talk with Papa."

"We will!"

Archie swallowed the lump in his throat. So many times he walked into the shop and saw the evidence of his foolishness...and had been too afraid to ask if it could be undone."

Bae put a hand on his shoulder as he opened the door and went inside. He heard the soft sound of Rumple singing a lullaby and put a finger to his lips.

"Hush pretty baby, don't say a word, yer granpa's gonna buy you a mocking bird . . . .. "

They peered into the living room and saw Rumple cuddling his grandbaby on his shoulder and singing while he walked up and down, patting her back.

The baby's eyes were almost shut and she was yawning.

Archie backed away thinking it was not a good time.

 

Bae grabbed his arm and shook his head, mouthing "Wait."

The sound of his father's soft mellow voice brought him right back to when he was a child and Rumple sang him to sleep in the trundle bed.

Aria whimpered and stuffed her hand in her mouth.

"Shh, my wee lass, dinna fight the sandman . . .just shut yer eyes by and by . . ." Rumple hummed and rocked and soon the baby had drifted off. When he was sure she was asleep, he put her in the Pac N Play and covered her with a light crocheted blanket with her name on it.

Then he walked to the foyer and said, "She's asleep, now what's the matter, Bae?" He looked at his son.

"Maybe we should...forget it..." Archie insisted nervously.

Rumple eyed him. "Come on . . .we can talk in the kitchen. I'll make some tea and the kids need some lunch and you can tell me what's going on."

"Bae, I still think this is not a good idea now..." Archie stammered.

"What isn't a good idea?" Rumple asked. "Have you gotten in some kind of trouble?"

"No trouble, Papa, just . . .we need to know if you can remove a curse," Bae interjected.

"That depends, dearie. What is it and who was it cast upon?"

"Two dolls in your shop..." Archie blurted.

"Geppetto's parents?" Rumple clarified.

"Yes..."

“You want to know if I can change them back?" Rumple queried as he made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken soup for the kids for lunch, along with chocolate chip bars.

"I know I should have asked long ago but....I...I was told it was impossible..."

Rumple waved a hand and the plates of food were transported to the clubhouse. Then he called, "Lunch is ready, dearies! In the clubhouse." He returned inside and sat down at the table. "Who told you that?"

"Blue."

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Maybe for her. She's not half the mage she thinks she is. Besides, she lied. What magic does magic can undo."

"It can? But will they be all right.... Will they remember...?"

"Well . . .they'll remember who they were and what they were before they were transformed. Everything else will have to be explained to them, they'll be confused but they should be okay."

"And they'll hate me ... I ruined their lives..."

"You didn't switch the potion . . . your parents did. I'll tell them it was an accidental ingestion and they've been in a suspended state for years."

"But you'll be lying to them!"

"No . . .because you weren't intending to hurt them. You wanted your parents to drink that tea . . .and they switched it. It was a con gone wrong, not a deliberate murder attempt. You can explain what happened later."

He sighed. "I hope they can forgive me....I looked after Geppetto the best I could..."

"I'm sure they will once they speak with their son . . .now I need a few things for the potion to bring them back--I need a drop of blood from you and a hair from Geppetto. That will form the base of the elixir.”

Archie held out his arm. "Take whatever you need."

Rumple summoned a small glass vial and a thin long needle. He lit up the tip of a finger with fire and passed the needle through it. "You'll feel a prick and a small pinch," he said.

He pricked the outer edge of Archie's wrist, then withdrew the needle and took the drop of blood and put it in the vial.

"We need to talk to Geppetto."

"Take my arm. We'll travel there," Rumple instructed.

Blue raced over to the convent to locate the cloak and the box. Fortunately Nova was far too busy with that silly dwarf she was dating to pay attention to the cabinet where the keys to the vault containing the fairies most powerful magical objects.

While she ruled, no one was allowed access to that vault except her. She didn't want any of her underlings to use the objects against her.

The Cloak of Shadows' other handy use was that it allowed the wearer to be able to enter a warded building without its defenses activating.

She also found the Box of Nothing--a simple lacquered black box with a rune for eternity and another for hidden in the language of her people

She tucked the box under her arm and swirled the cloak around her and disappeared from view, shutting the vault as she did so. She put the keys back in the cabinet and locked it then was off to the shop to collect the dolls.

There was no need to open the door with the cloak on her. It allowed her to walk through the door with little effort.

She spotted the dolls on the shelf and recited the spell too open the box.

"Hidden for all eternity. As I will it, so shall it be!" she chanted.

The box opened and the dolls were sucked inside. Then it closed and glowed briefly before going dark, all except the single rune for a hidden object.

Sapphira laughed. "Perfect! Who says you can't commit the perfect crime. Ta ta demonspawn!”

Now she just needed to find the perfect hiding place for the box and the cloak. They would come in handy again if she had to deal with that imp and his brainless followers.

Sapphira went to the woods, where she knew no one usually hung out, and she found a lightning blasted oak tree with half its trunk sheared off. The other half was still intact and could hold the items. She shoved them inside and covered them with some leaves. Then she dusted her hands off and crept back the way she had come, a pleased smile lighting her face.

After speaking with Geppetto and getting a hair from him, Rumple brewed the potion in his lab and then he drove with Archie and Geppetto to his shop to get the dolls and restore them. He unlocked the shop door, disabled the alarm and the wards and stepped inside.

To his horror there was an empty space on the shelf where the dolls once sat.

"They...they're gone! My parents...gone!" Geppetto gasped.

"Rumple where are they?" Archie demanded fearfully.

The sorcerer looked flummoxed. "They were here yesterday when I closed the shop. Right here where they always are," he pointed to the space where they had rested since coming to this world, on a shelf above some games next to a red rubber ball of Bae's. But now they were missing, the space blank.

Rumple peered about, trying to see if they had toppled from the shelf, but they were nowhere. "There's no signs of a break in. My alarm is still intact and my wards didn't alert me," he muttered.

"Then how did they just vanish!" Geppetto cried.

"I don't know," Gold said, scowling. He waved a hand and chanted a spell that would show him the past hour or two.

He saw the dolls on the shelf in the shop, same as always. Then he saw a . . .clot of shadows and then a glowing green light envelop the dolls and they vanished. After that he saw nothing.

"What was that?" Archie asked.

"A shadow . . .something magical came and stole the dolls away,” Rumple said, rubbing his head. It ached a little.

"Why?" cried Geppetto. "Why would anyone take those dolls out of everything in this shop?"

"If I knew that, dearie, I'd know who stole them," Gold sighed. "Let's call Emma and Nick down at the station and tell them."

"We have to get them back. We have to!" Archie raked a hand through his hair.

"Yes, of course." Rumple sighed. He was upset also, because he couldn't figure out how anyone had been able to get past both sets of alarms, mundane and magical.

Archie called Selene back distraught over the turn of events. The women were back at the house with Bae and the kids.

"Honey, that is awful! Do you have any idea who did it?"

"No but we'll find out!"

"What's happened?" Bae asked.

"Someone stole the dolls from the shop, Bae," Belle explained

"Holy crap!" Bae cried. "Does Papa know who might've done it?"

"No..."

"Betcha it was the butthole," Killian spoke up.

Bae looked at his son. "Killian, I know you don't like her . . and I don't either, but you shouldn’t just accuse people of bad things without proof. Besides, how would she get inside Papa's shop when he's got magic wards and she has none?"

"She's not dumb. She'd find a way! "

"Yeah but what reason would she have to take them?" Bae frowned. He considered asking Melanie about the whereabouts of her daughter.

"Cause she hates Grandpa."

Bae sighed. "Kid, we can't go around accusing people of crimes without proof." He looked at Selene. "Did my papa say how the shop got broken into?"

"A shadow of some sort."

"Magic then," he surmised. "And that puts Sapphira out since she has none. Maybe we need to talk to Regina and ask her if she noticed anything from her vault's been released or something. Like a wraith or whatever."

"It was the butthole I tell ya. She stole magic before!"

"Hey! Now that's enough," Bae said softly, but with steel in his tone. "I don't want you involved in this, young man. This is a job for the adults."

It's a job for the Nevengers, Killian thought defiantly.

Before Bae could say anything else, Aria stated wailing. "Uh oh. Looks like Sleeping Beauty has awakened," he chuckled and went to get his daughter.

Killian motioned to Bobby and Annie.

"We gotta vestigate...an my brother can help!"

Bobby looked around. "How we gonna do that?"

"Without the grownups seeing?" asked Annie.

"We can do it. Just gotta have a straction!"

As if on cue, Aria began crying loudly.

Killian grinned. "An there ya have it.”

"Hey, baby girl, what's wrong?" asked her father. "You hungry?"

"C'mon! Fore he notices!"

Aria suddenly projectile vomited .. all over Bae and the kitchen floor.

"Ewww!" Annie squealed and ran outside.

I owe ya big time sis, Killian thought.

"Gross! Baby puke!" he moaned.

"Let's go outside!" Bobby said and followed his sister.

"Umm . . anybody got a mop?" Bae groaned. "I hope she's not sick." Then he grimaced at his shirt and rocked his crying baby.

"I'll get it," Belle said and filled up a bucket with soap and water to mop the mess off the floor.

"And you both need new clothes," Selene said and went to get Aria an outfit from the diaper bag.

Aria had stopped crying so much now and was cooing at Bae and trying to grab his nose.

"Yeah, you think it's funny, huh? Making your dad look like something the cat puked up," he shook his head.

As if that were a signal, Mistshadow came into the kitchen and meowed for some treats.

Aria smiled.

She squealed and held out her hands when the cat jumped on the counter beside her food bowls.

"Man, you and cats--you're like Cat Baby!" Bae snickered.

Even though she was a baby, she saw the cat as her familiar.

Mistshadow, who usually avoided screaming babies like water, went and rubbed up against Aria's leg, purring loudly.  
"Keee!"

"Ooh she's trying to say kitty!" Selene exclaimed

"Yeah,. that's my girl!" Bae cried proudly. "Oh boy! Wai till I tell Emma."

Belle had finished mopping the floor and then she took her granddaughter to get changed while the cat surveyed her from the couch seat and Bae also changed into a new shirt he'd brought, since getting spit up on was a regular occurrence at his house.

"Not even two months and you're ready to talk..." she murmured.

"Kee!" Aria squealed, having learned the new sound seemed to make everyone happy.

Belle took her temperature with the Cool Touch thermometer just in case. "She's not running a fever, Bae." she told her anxious son. "I think she probably had gas and when you bounced her . . ."

He looked chagrined. "Papa did warn me about that . . ."

"It’s a learning process honey. I'll have to go through it myself."

She was hoping that soon she would be able to announce she was expecting.

She was still nervous about making mistakes caring for her grandchild but Rumple assured her she was doing fine.

Aria seemed happier when she was dressed in a dry onesie with the words Grammy's Little Princess on it. She burbled and held out her arms for her father.

"You're daddy's girl, huh?" Bae crooned.

He kissed the baby on the head. Sometimes he was still amazed that this little miracle had come from him.

With his father as a teacher, he was learning how to be the kind of papa his children, deserved, one who would always be there for them even when the spit up on him, woke him at all hours of the night, tried his patience to its breaking point or when someone tried to harm them.

He lost so many years with Henry but now he was doing it over again with Aria and Killian. Second chances were not always given in this world but when you got one, it was wiser to learn from your past mistakes, not repeat them.

He sat down on the sofa and held his little girl in his arms. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, wanting to be nowhere else at that moment than with her daddy.

Henry rode up on his bicycle while the new Nevengers were sitting outside trying to decide how and where to start their investigation.

"What's going on, guys?"

Killian told him.

"You could be right, buddy. Stealing Geppetto's parents would be Blue's revenge against Grandpa and Archie but she's not stupid enough to hide them in the house. And she stole some sort of magic from the convent to get in the shop without Grandpa's wards going off. Let me get some of the books he gave me on magic and see if we can find anything."

“Kay but we gotta hurry up! They're real upset an Dad doesn't believe me."

"I'm glad we never met this kid in person. She sounds mean," Bobby mumbled.

"Yeah well she's gonna have a sore butt if we find out she did this," vowed Annie.

Henry grinned and took out his phone, punching in his mother's number.

"Mom, can you pop over here for a little bit....”

The Carlyles gazed in wonder as Regina appeared in the yard in a puff of purple smoke.

"What's going on Henry?"

Henry filled his mother in on the details of the incident. Regina scowled.

"I have to agree with you Killian. This sounds like something that jellyfish would pull but I know how your father gets when we go off on our adventures."

"Awww, c'mon Gina! You gotta help us vestigate! You gotta!"

Four pairs of eyes gave her the puppy dog look. "Oh all right...but if we're investigating, you need your whole team so let me go fetch Roland."

"Cool!" the little pirate clapped.

"Your moms are so awesome!" Annie praised Henry.

He beamed. "They certainly are."

Regina reappeared a few minutes later with a very excited Roland.

"I've already briefed him so he's ready to go," she explained with a grin.

"What are you going to do, Mom....get small for a bit?" Henry asked.

"No....while Bae is busy with the baby you need someone to watch you...right?"

"Belle's in there an so is Selene," Bobby reminded her.

"Yes, but both of their men are a bit upset and could use some support right...?"

All the kids were grinning now.

"Come along...and just let me do the talking."

The children marched behind Regina putting on their best faces. She found everyone in the living room. "Killian told me what happened. I'm sorry ladies. I know how much undoing that spell means to Rumple and Archie."

"Archie is devastated. He feels terrible for his part in it and all he wants is to make it right!" Selene wept.

"So does Rumple," Belle added sadly.

"Why don't you go over to the shop with them? Being there will bring them some comfort until we get to the bottom of this. Bae, you're a bit busy with Aria so why don't I take the kids to the park to distract them for a while?"

"Thanks Regina...that'll be a big help."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. We'll be fine, won't we?" she asked the children. They all nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll call Peri and Nick and let them know the kids are with you," Belle offered.

"Thanks Belle. I'll take them home when their parents are ready for them."

Aria opened her eyes briefly, gave a small smile to her brothers and fell back to sleep.

“We’ll leave you two alone,” Regina whispered and placed a finger over her lips to warn the children to be silent. They walked out of the house on tiptoes. 

Back at the shop Emma was listening to Rumple describe what he saw while Nick had the crime scene techs testing for evidence. Though the sorcerer claimed the theft occurred with magic Nick knew from experience that criminals often left some traces behind that indicated their guilt. They all thought they could commit the perfect crime but not around him. He always got his perps. 

Belle and Selene had arrived by then, Selene comforting Archie and Geppetto. Both men were understandably upset, Geppetto more because though his parents were dolls, he still got a chance to see them when he came into the shop, he just never thought of asking Rumple to remove the curse before word got out the sorcerer was no longer a man to be feared. 

“It’ll be odd…if we find them…seeing me as an old man.” 

“I had the same fears when I saw my parents again Geppetto but it won’t matter to them. You’re their son, no matter how old you are,” Selene assured him. 

“It never should’ve happened!” Archie cried. 

“Old friend, we’ve been over this….your parents were the ones who did this, not you. Forgive me but I wished they hadn’t switched that bottle because THEY deserved it, not Mama and Papa!” Geppetto said angrily. “And when I find out who took them…they are going to regret it!” 

“Why don’t we go to Mum and Dad’s while we wait?” Selene suggested. The two men nodded. The trio spent a great deal of time at the Dearly farm, most of it helping them with the animals. They raised both dogs and horses much to Regina’s delight. She sometimes went over to the farm to ride the horses. 

“Rumple, Belle, we’re going to Mum and Dad’s. Can you ring us if there’s any news?” Selene asked him. 

“Go on. I’ll call you,” Belle said. The three of them left the shop and drove out to Roger and Anita’s. 

“Deputy Carlyle! I think I got something!” one of the techs exclaimed, pointing to the door. They looked closer and saw a piece of cloth stuck on one of the hinges. 

Rumple smirked. “Well, well dearie….you could hide…but not good enough…” he giggled wickedly. 

The tech carefully pulled the piece of cloth off the hinge and held it up. It vanished in the light. 

“What the hell? It was right there a minute ago!”

 

“Hmmmm…a garment that renders the wearer invisible…I’ve heard of such things…I may even have one here in the shop. Just a moment.” 

He found a cloak he'd gotten in one of his deals and draped it over him then walked out to the front of the shop, brushing against Belle as he did so.

"What...Rumple? Was that you?"

"It was me, dearie."

"Well where are you? We can't see you!" Emma demanded.

"That's the point, dearie."

"So our perp was wearing something that made them invisible," Nick mused aloud.

"Exactly." Rumple removed the cloak and appeared before the group. "Our suspect had one of these...and I thought I held the only one in existence."

"What is it, Rumple?"

"The Cloak of Shadows. It makes the wearer invisible, even to a fellow mage and gives them the ability to pass through wards undetected. That's why my wards were not activated. However, when the wearer was traveling through my door a piece of that cloak got caught on the hinge. If the cloak is damaged, its functionality is limited. If the person attempts to wear it again they will only remain invisible for a short time. Look."

The torn piece reappeared on the tweezers holding it.

The tech placed it in a plastic evidence bag and sealed it.

"Find any prints yet?" Nick asked the techs.

"Still lookin.”

"In the meantime we're going to have some chats with the other mages in this town," Emma said. "All of them are suspects are far as I'm concerned.”

The only person they could safely eliminate was Regina. They would begin their search at the convent since the fairies were the the second most powerful mages in the town and also had access to as many magical items as Rumple. Nova insisted no one at the convent had anything to do with the theft, however, she did admit that they had a vault of magical items in the convent bssement that was carried over when the curse struck. She led the group into the office where a set of keys hung. Rumple's eyes boggled. "Keys?! You secure a vault of magical items with nothing more than a set of keys? Why are there no wards on it?"  
"Errr....we would have...but every ward we set up didn't hold," Nova said nervously. She was still trying to learn to be as powerful as Blue but it was difficult. Along with studying the ancient fae texts, she was also taking lessons from Melanie. She knew she woudn't become a powerful fairy overnight but she had to be prepared if her former mentor was destined to become the next Dark One. The group entered the vault, Nova holding a list of what the vault contained that she discovered in Blue's office. She and Rumle inventoried the items and were able to account for all of them except for two: a Cloak of Shadows and the Box of Nothing. 

Emma sighed. "It looks like we're going to have to have a talk with Melanie again."

Meanwhile Regina and the Nevengers were conducting an investgation of their own. With the books Rumple had given Henry, they also found out that a Cloak of Shadows could have been used to get past Rumple's wards. They heard a car and saw Melanie and Sapphira get out of a car across the fence and go into the house. The kids wanted to search it but Regina knew Melanie would have the house warded. 

"She wouldn't hide the stuff in the house cause Melanie would find it," Annie said. "Where else do you think she could hide it?"

"What if she threw em in the ocean?" Bobby suggested. 

Henry and Regina cringed at that thought. Blue was malicious but her malice was aimed more at them, at least she hoped so or the girl had become the Dark One much sooner than they thought. They all got into her Mercedes and drove down to the beach to start their search.

At the beach, the kids started digging in the sand with shovels and little buckets they picked up at the store along the way while Regina and Henry cast locator spells on the location. 

"Don't think she threw em in the ocean. That's too easy. She prolly buried em somewhere so's she can dig em up if she hasta." Killian mused. 

"You ever think about bein a cop?" Annie asked him. "You're gettin as good as Dad at figurin out stuff." 

"Cause I had real good teachers. Mom, Dad, Henry, Gina, Gram and Grandpa are really smart." 

"If they're not here, maybe they're in the woods," Bobby suggested.

They got up and ran to find Regina and Henry. Henry was exhausted after casting his spells and in need of a rest. He took a brief nap in the car while Regina drove out into the woods to conduct their search. She picked up two more buckets and shovels at the hardware store and cast another locator spell as soon as they entered the woods. Several sets of footprints appeared on the ground. They all sighed. 

"Those could belong to anybody. We're gonna havta dig everywhere!" Bobby moaned.

"Well, let's get started," Annie said and picked up her bucket and shovel and following the first set of tracks with the others at her heels. Henry looked through Rumple's books, hoping they would be able to find something to help make their search easier otherwise they would be digging in there for days or even weeks.

They were unable to find anything at the end of the first trail and moved on to the second. Regina decided to search the third trail herself, asking Henry to stay with the children and cast a protection charm on them. Having recovered some of his energy during his nap, Henry animated the shovels so that the younger children wouldn't be so tired and sore from digging so much. Killian didn't mind the digging, it reminded him of searching for buried treasure though those days were far behind him. The more he thought about it, the more being a police officer like his mother appealed to him. That way he could work cases without getting into trouble.

Back at the house Bae had fallen asleep with Aria and both were awakened when Rumple, Nick and Emma returned to the house. Aria screamed loudly. 

"Come on babydoll....it's all right...look....it's Mommy..." he said softly and held her up as he stood at the door. When the baby saw her mother she started cooing and held out her arms.

"Hi sweetie!" Emma cried and took their daughter into her arms. "Did you miss me?"

Aria buried her face in her mother's shoulder. 

"Nick and I will go talk to Melanie dearie. You spend some time with my granddaughter." 

Emma wasn't going to argue with that. She'd missed her daughter terribly and now that she was home with her, she didn't want to leave.

"Killian and Henry are with Regina and the Carlyles. Regina said she'd bring the kids home later but I'm sure Killian is talking her ear off about how he thinks Blue stole the dolls." 

"He may be right, Bae. An invisibility cloak and a magic box were stolen from the convent and Blue had access to them when she was Mother Superior. I hate having to keep going to Melanie about Blue's involvement in situations in this town but the theft of those dolls is not above her. She had a motive. She told Archie the curse on Geppetto's parents couldn't be broken to punish him for what happened even if he wasn't the one who gave it to them. And we both know how she feels about your dad." 

Bae scowled. "I've been trying so hard to give her the benefit of the doubt. To not label the kid because she was a horrible sanctimonious prig in her previous life. But dammit, Emma, what's it gonna take to make her see what she's doing is wrong? I've talked to her about her behavior, Papa and I have both punished her, and so had Melanie. What else can we do?"

At Bae's angry tone, Aria started crying.

"Shh, sweetie. Daddy's not mad at you," Emma crooned to her daughter and snuggled with her. "He's mad at the blue bug next door." She kissed and rocked her baby until she calmed down.

"Sorry, sweet thing," Bae apologized to his baby girl. "Didn't mean to upset you. Forgot she doesn't like people shouting.”

"Neither did you at that age . . or any other age for that matter," Rumple sighed. "But your mama did plenty of it, usually at me." He had always tried to not yell back at Milah when she got on his back, because he didn't want to upset Bae even more, but sometimes he actually had snapped at her . . .then regretted it because Bae got scared.

"The wee ones are very sensitive to emotions around them," Nick said. "Both of mine are."

"Hopefully that girl will be sensible and tell us where she hid them." Emma said though she doubted it.

Rumple snorted. "That'll be the day." He frowned. "Well, Detective, best get this over with. Then we can finally solve this case and I can help Archie and Geppetto right a wrong done long ago."

Melanie was uneasy when she glanced out the kitchen window and saw Rumple and the new deputy crossing the yard and approaching her front porch. She'd assumed Sapphira was at the library while she did her grocery shopping and didn't want to be wrong.

Now it seemed she may have been.

Rumple came up on the porch and knocked on the door before recalling he should have let Nick do so, since this was a police investigation. He stepped back and muttered, "Sorry. I should have waited. This is your case."

Nick laughed. "You know the people in this town better than me."

"You'll get to know them soon enough," Rumple said with a sardonic smirk. "Probably more than you'd want." He leaned on his cane waiting for Melanie to open the door.

"Rumple, what brings you by?" she asked nervously.

"Melanie, this is Detective Nick Carlyle, he's acting sheriff while Emma's on maternity leave. We'd like you ask you a few questions about Sapphira."

"What do you think she's done?"

"Let's go inside, dearie. Don't want the whole town to know," the old sorcerer suggested.

"Thank you." She escorted the two men into the dining room. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"You know I never refuse tea," Rumple said, trying to put her at ease. Plus he knew that the fae set great store by hospitality to guests and he didn't want to insult her.

She poured them each a cup of tea and sat down, her hands shaking while she held her cup. Things had been going so well with Sapphira that her confidence that she was being a good mother was given an enormous boost. Now that confidence was shaken.

Rumple sipped his then said, "Recently, Archie and Geppetto came to me and wished me to undo a curse . . .on the dolls in my shop," he knew Melanie would understand which dolls they were. "But when we got there the dolls were missing . . .and my shop wa still locked, with the alarm on, and my wards were undisturbed. Yet someone broke in and stole them." He gestured for Nick to take over.

"We found evidence that two magical items your daughter was familiar with have been stolen from the convent and one of them was used in the theft." He set the evidence bag with the torn piece from the Cloak of Shadows on the table before her.  
"Does this piece of cloth look familiar to you Miss Magestrix?"

Melanie picked up the bag with the piece of cloak. She looked at it for only a few moments before saying heavily, "Yes. It's a fae product, woven by our weaver mages thousands of years ago. Only ten were made . . and of those ten . . only two now remain. The others were lost or destroyed in various ways."

"This was discovered in the hinge on Mr. Gold's door. It is not from the cloak Mr. Gold has in his possession so we can safely assume it is from the one stolen from the convent."

Melanie groaned. "And what proof do you have that Sapphira stole it?"

"She, along with the other fairies were the only ones who knew where it was kept and we've questioned all of them."

"And she also knew the exact contents of the vault and where the keys were that opened it," Rumple pointed out.  
Nick sighed. "I'm sorry Miss Magestrix but I would like to conduct a search of your home."

He would get a warrant if needed but he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Melanie nodded. "Go ahead, Detective." She dreaded what they might discover. "But Sapphira was at the library this afternoon while I was shopping. I was happy she wanted to spend time there so I dropped her off."

"Are you certain she was?"

He already had an officer at the library questioning everyone. The officer would call him after he finished his interviews and then see what the girl's story was.

"I watched her go inside," Melanie said. "You could ask Belle if she saw her there."

"We are already questioning the staff and patrons and I would like to ask your daughter to give her account...after I conduct my search."

"Yes, of course." Melanie agreed.  
"Along with the cloak we are looking for an item called the Box of Nothing. We believe it was being used to transport the dolls."

"I know about that also. One of my ancestors created that box. To hide his valuables."

Nick finished his tea and stood up. "I'll get started. Could you ask your daughter to come downstairs please?"

"Yes. Sapphira! Come down here, please!" she called.

The girl appeared at the top of the stairs, looking sleepy and rather cross. "What's the matter? I was taking a nap."

"Sapphira, come here. Detective Carlyle and Mr. Gold are here and they are going to search this house for some missing magical objects form the convent."

"What? Why?" she asked frantically.

"Because we have reason to believe they're here, dearie," Rumple replied calmly. His eyes narrowed. "You seem nervous. Guilty conscience?"

"That would be you, demonspawn!" she snarled. "Search HIS house or even his shop and you'll find a treasure trove of stolen items!"

"Sapphira!" Melanie cried, aghast. "Apologize to Mr. Gold, young lady."

"Why should I? It's the truth."

"Any items I have, miss, were not stolen, they were obtained in fair trades and deals. I'm not a cheat or a thief," Gold objected. "And trying to point fingers at me isn't going to lift suspicion off of you . . .nor is being a rude brat." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Well? I'm waiting."

"Don't hold your breath old man. You'll suffocate."

Melanie facepalmed herself in embarrassment.

Gold's eyes narrowed further. "You really don't want to go there, young lady." He gave her one of his Looks.

Nick frowned. The girl was a rude little snot . . .but he had an investigation to conduct, so he went upstairs to do so.

"Ooh the look of doom! I'm so scared..." Sapphira laughed.

That cop could search all he wanted. He was never going to find those dolls.

"You will be soon," Gold said warningly. "Because you're trying to distract me. It won't work. I know when someone's hiding something from me. Or lying. And YOU . . .are doing both."

"You'll never find them!" she sneered.

Rumple smirked. "So . . you admit you hid what we're searching for?"

She smirked. "Did you honestly think I would allow you or that cricket to stop paying for your sins? Think again!"

"Sapphira, what HAVE you done?" Melanie cried.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," Rumple said softly. "Before you point out others sins, dearie, think more on your own!"

"I didn't take a child away from his parents...or abandon one!"

"That's not the issue here, Sapphira. What I did was unintentional, and so was what Archie did. But here's something I'd like to know-who died and made you the Mother Goddess?"

"No one else was willing to maintain order!"

"As far as I recall, no one asked YOU to stick your nose into others' business . . .the gods in their wisdom gave us free will and freedom of choice," Rumple lectured. "Or as they say in this world-judge not, lest ye be judged."

"The choices you've made make you a candidate for Hell!"

"As do yours, dearie," he snapped. "Where were you, you sanctimonious winged twit, when I needed you when I was a poor spinner trying to save my only child from being thrown into a war and killed? Was that not a "worthy" cause?"

"You never called for me."

"Funny, I never called for Zoso either . . yet HE came. Or don't you watch and see what needs your attention?"

"I only went to those who summoned me."

"And therin lies your folly . . for there were those who didn't even consider themselves a candidate for any kind of magical intervention . . .and those needed your help the most, if not more than those who summoned you. You missed many opportunities by only responding to those who called you . . .those most desperate never reached you . . but the Dark One knew of them."

"And you sold your soul...for power, not love for once you had it, you ruined as many lives as those wars did!"  
She glared at him. "You abandoned your child to keep that power!"

"Just like your father did with you!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Because you're wrong. And you always will be. I am nothing like my father. Yes, I've made mistakes. Everyone has, child, even you. But there is one difference between us. I don't lie to myself about what I've done . . .nor pretend I'm better than those I help. I've faced my demons, Sapphira. And THIS is my reward." He drew his star pendant from beneath his shirt. "I am the Master of All Magic. Or have you forgotten that? I am the Dark One redeemed by love. Unlike you, who grow closer and closer to darkness with each crime you commit."

"One day I will bring you to your knees!" she growled.

His finger came up. "Beware the sin of hubris . . .it will drag you down and destroy you."

"And you...since you are as guilty of it!" She spun on her heel and left the room.

Nick came back downstairs with a scowl on his face. "Nothing."

"Have you heard from your officers?" Rumple asked. He hadn't expected to find anything here. It was too obvious  
"Yes and they said Sapphira did leave the library and return just before her mother picked her up. She was seen heading for the woods."

Rumple looked thoughtful. "You can hide many things in those woods." He ought to know, as he had hid his dagger there and he knew Regina had also hid things there.

"We should go there now."

"We'lll see you later, Melanie. Keep your daughter at home," Rumple said.

"I will," she said firmly.

They exited the house and made their way back to where Nick had parked his patrol car. "Let's go, dearie. We have some digging to do, or my name's not Rumplestiltskin."

Out in the woods the new Nevengers reached the last trail and were digging in the spot where the small tracks ended. The others were frustrated when they couldn't find anything in their holes. Annie nearly jumped for joy when her shovel struck something. "I think I found em!" she cried.

"X marks the spot!" Killlian crowed. "Good going, Annie!" He ran over to where she was digging.

"It looks like a magic box," she said as she lifted it out of the hole.

"Careful," Henry said, and took the black box from her. "Mom, we found something!"

"Are those people in there?" Roland asked her when she returned to them.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Regina said, taking the box from her son. "But I think we need to wait and show Rumple and Detective Carlyle first." She looked about. "Have you found the cloak yet?"

"Right here an look...it got a hole in it!" Bobby held up the torn cloak.

Killian laughed. "Ha ha...the butthole prolly left it at the shop. Now they know she did it!"

"Good job!" Regina praised. "Now we need to---" before she finished her sentence Nick pulled up with Rumple in the patrol car.

Annie and Bobby ran to the car. "We got em Dad! We found em!" Bobby yelled.

"What?" Nick hugged his children. "What are you talking about?"

"Those people that were dolls. We found em...she hid em in a box an buried em!"

"You found the magic box?" the detective gasped. "Where?"

"Regina has it...it was right here in the woods," said Annie.

"As I thought," Rumple said. "Looks like you taught them early, Nick." He got out of the car, a little stiffly.

"Grandpa why you walkin funny? Old Arthur bugging ya?" Killian asked.

"Aye, lad. I'm a wee bit stiff," Gold nodded.

"Arthur Itis. ..he's a real douche to ya!"

"Killian Gold! Mind that mouth, lad, before I conjure up the Ivory," Gold coughed, trying not to laugh at his grandson's wit.

"Awww..okay! Are you happy Grandpa.. we did our first vestigation?"

Gold ruffled his hair. "You did very well . . .and saved us a lot of trouble. Though your papa isna gonna be too happy with ye, I'm afraid."

"He'll get over it...right?"

Rumple smirked wryly. "Oh, I'd say so . . .once he sees the good that came of it. Now, let's see what we have here."

"They gotta be in there!" Roland cried.

"Relax, son," Rumple ordered. 'Regina, let me see that box. Nick, please film this on your phone."

As the detective began recording, Rumple took his star pendant and touched it to the Box of Nothing, murmuring, "By the power I weild, show me what you hide."

The pendant glowed briefly and the runes on the box went out. The box opened . . .and the two dolls popped out.

The kids cheered. "We did it!"

"You did." Nick praised. "Rumple, I need to dust this for prints."

"Uh oh....we didn't wear gloves!" Bobby groaned.

Rumple waved a hand. "There! All of our prints are removed."

Nick sprinkled the fingerprint powder on the box revealing a small set of prints. They had a copy of Sapphira's back at the station that they would need to compare them with but it didn't matter. The girl had already confessed her guilt and he would leave it up to Melanie and Rumple to decide what the proper punishment would be. He knew what he would do if he ever caught his children stealing.

Rumple called Archie and Geppetto at the Dearly farm before they returned to the shop, both men relieved that Geppetto's parents were unharmed and would soon be reunited with their son. They were also grateful to Regina and the new Nevengers for recovering them so quickly.

"Those children will make great detectives someday like Holmes," Geppetto praised.

"Yes they will, Archie agreed, thinking that they had great teachers in Nick, Rumple, Belle, Regina and Bae and Emma. He knew Bae would be upset with Killian for disobeying him but it was for a good cause.

Rumple set the dolls on his sofa in the backroom of his shop and slowly poured the elixir over them as he chanted.

"Archie, I need you to chant this with me."

"All right."

"To right the wrong I have done, I implore, let this curse be no more!" they chanted in unison.

A bright white light surrounded the dolls, slowly transforming them back into the young couple Archie and his parents encountered years ago in the Enchanted Forest. Geppetto stared at them, his eyes filled with tears.

"Mama? Papa?" he sobbed.  
The young couple seemed terrified and clung to each other. Rumple placed a hand on the father's shoulder. "You're in shock dearies, but don't be afraid. No harm will come to you."

"W...Where....where are we?" Geppetto's mother asked fearfully, clinging to her husband.

"Allow me to explain," the sorcerer said gently and began his tale. Donna and Stephen were shocked by what they were hearing. They'd been frozen....for centuries while their son grew up without them....while everyone had been taken out of their world and cast into a strange new one. Archie's fears that the couple would blame him for their predicament were put to rest as Rumple stressed that he had not been the one to give them the cursed potion, it had been his parents and Geppetto explained how Archie had cared for him over the years as a cricket and now they were best friends in this world.

"Our boy...all grown up," Stephen choked back a sob.

"I know how you feel. It was how we felt seeing out daughter again after she'd been taken from us," Roger said sympathetically.

"And we have a grandson....when can we see him?" inquired Donna. 

"He is back at my house waiting for us, Mama."

The couple embraced their adult son in tears, wishing they could take back those missing years but time travel was not possible and if it was, there was a chance things could have been worse instead of better. All they could do now was try to make a new start in this strange world they found themselves in.

Nick volunteered to drive the reunited family home so that they could spend time together.

They felt strange being younger than their son but through his Sight Rumple assured them they would have plenty of time to become a family again. It brought them some comfort.

Archie hugged his friend and said goodbye to Geppetto's parents, stunned when they invited him and his future in laws to visit them in a few days. Selene was relieved that the burden her fiancé carried for so many years was now lifted and he could move on.

Bae, Emma and Aria were waiting for their group on the porch when they pulled in. Bae gave his son a Disappointed Look.  
"Dad, I know you're mad but....we had to do it...and we did it! We got the dolls back an now Geppetto's parents are people again!"

"We're going to be grounded, aren't we?" Henry asked sadly.

"For three days for disobeying me, yes. I would have made it week but something good did come out of this. You found the dolls in time and Papa was able to change them back. And no more going off on adventures behind our backs again," he scolded gently.

Rumple laughed. "And how many times did I give you that speech Baelfire?"

"Ummm...errr...."

"That's what I thought. Finding trouble is a given in this family. We may not always be able to stop them from getting into it but they'll certainly learn lessons from it, won't you lads?"

His grandsons nodded.

"They gonna toss the butthole in jail?" Bobby asked.

"She's a minor son. We can’t."  
"One thing is for certain, she will never be able to touch any of the magical items in the convent again. I have set up wards on it preventing that," Melanie said from her porch. The fae was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She never enjoyed spanking her daughter yet it had to be done and she placed powerful wards on the house preventing the child from leaving without her knowing it. Sapphira also wore s bracelet on her wrist with a twin on Melanie's arm that would alert her to the child's location at all times. Sapphira screamed at her, accusing her of making her a prisoner in her own home.

"This is what you have brought upon yourself with your misdeeds Sapphira. Never again will you deceive me. This behavior will stop, do you understand. You will not walk the dark path to your own destruction. I forbid it!"

"Melanie, I do not envy you....your task will be difficult,” Rumple said sadly.

"I will bring her back to the light and force the darkness to choose another, Rumple. She is my child and I cannot give up on her. I just can't!"

"Nor should you. Hopefully some day she will cone to realize how much you do love her and that will be her salvation.”

Until then his family would have to be on guard. Sapphira was a clever one and there was no doubt in Rumple's mind she would find some way to escape Melanie's wards.

"Hopefully now everything will settle down for a bit. Two of us have to get married yet," Regina joked that evening as they all had dinner at the Victorian.

Emma laughed. "In this town? Are you kidding me, Gina? There's always some mishaps going on and now we have a whole new crew ready to cause some."

The new Nevengers winked at each other and smiled. They had a lot to live up to but solving their first case had been an excellent start.

The former Nevengers were looking forward to their retirement into adult life once again but they had so many of their adventures preserved forever on film. Later on that evening everyone gathered in the living room to watch all the movies Henry made of their adventures. The Magic Kingdom would never be the same for the staff remembered well a group of precocious young children that made them look at the fairy tales they represented in a whole new light.

Sometimes villains did get happy endings....if they were willing to show remorse for their crimes...and princes weren't the only ones to get the girl. So did beasts....and crickets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes: We have come to the end of another Mishap tale and for those of you curious about the weddings, those will take place in a new one shot called Matrimonial Mishaps coming soon dearies! Once again thank you for reading

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked the beginning! You'll learn about Killian's birthday party in a flashback soon . . .


End file.
